Unexpected
by RockRaven244
Summary: An unexpected event throws Bella into the hands of the Chicago mob. Can Bella accept the path her new life is taking? And how will Edward come to terms with the idea that he is responsible for Bella's safety? AH
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Prologue_

_**bella**_

"What the hell am I doing?" I ask myself as I look in the mirror. I am a successful photographer. I am a good person. How did I get into this mess? And why the hell am I okay with this? "Fuck," I said to myself as I looked in the mirror.

"Bella," I heard a knock on the door before it opened. "Are you okay?" I turned to look at the man standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a black suit with a ivory colored tie that matched my dress.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said quietly. "I'll be right out." I turned back toward the mirror and retouched my makeup, made sure my hair was in place and did a quick spin in the mirror to make sure my dress was okay. As I turned I noticed the ring on my left hand. I closed my eyes to stop the tears from flowing and took a deep breath. "Let's go." I have an engagement to announce.

We walked out to the car waiting to take us to the hotel where the engagement party was being held. I looked out the window trying to calm my nerves. Very important people would be at this party tonight, people that now hold influence over my future. I turned to look at the man sitting next to me. This isn't his fault. He is the one helping me here. As much as I want to be angry with him, I can't. And I don't understand this need I feel for him. It's making me crazy but I need to make this work somehow; his life is now altered as well.

"Edward," I said quietly. He turned to me and then pushed a button to lift the screen between the driver and us. I moved closer to him so I could speak without being overheard.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly trying to keep my emotions under control. "I know that this isn't your fault and that you are just trying to keep me safe," I paused and closed my eyes. "But why did you do it? Why sacrifice for me?"

He shook his head and looked out the window. "I don't know," he said quietly. "I wouldn't, haven't ever done this for anyone else." He turned to look at me then. "No one was supposed to be in that warehouse. I checked and double-checked all of the schedules. I knew that there was a photo shoot in the morning but figured everyone would be gone before we showed up. Matt was supposed to search the building before…" he stopped and turned back to the window, his jaw clenching. "He didn't, obviously, and when I saw you there on the stairs…there was something about you that made me want to protect you." He looked over at me. "I don't know how else to explain it. Hurting you wasn't an option." I looked at him stunned for a few minutes trying to understand what he was saying. He turned back to the window and I couldn't help but enjoy the warm feeling that started in my chest.

I nodded, resolved at what I would do. Really, the only option I had anymore. "I'll do whatever you need me to do, Edward. I'll be your partner or your friend, whatever you want. I won't ask questions." I took a shaky breath and closed my eyes. All my resolve gone, "I'm scared."

He took my hand and looked me in the eye. "I know. I won't let anything happen to you. We'll make this work." I nodded and tried to give him a reassuring smile but a sob escaped instead. He pulled me into his arms, "We'll be okay, Bella," he soothed me. "If we had met under different circumstances, I would have pursued you," he said quietly and I looked up at him. He wiped my tears with his thumbs. "I am attracted to you and I will do everything I can to show you. This is all happening in the wrong order but let's just get to know each other. We can make this work without anyone knowing how it started. I'm committed to you. I won't do anything to make you think otherwise. I'll take care of you." He took my left hand and looked at the ring on my finger. "I'll be a good husband to you. You can trust that. I will honor our vows."

I nodded. This is it, this is my life and I accept it. The conventional way of meeting a man, dating and falling in love will not happen to me. But I could feel the sincerity behind his words. And the attraction is mutual. He's a beautiful man. He's very quiet, very private but does not hold back his emotions from me. I have noticed that over the past week. He has a mask in place with everyone else. He only speaks when necessary and only shows affection to his mother, and now me. But when we are in private, he smiles and laughs and we have conversations without words. I do trust him. Maybe its stupid considering how I ended up in this position but I do trust him, completely.

"I'm committed to you too. This is all very…" I couldn't find the words and I looked at our entwined hands. "I feel a pull toward you that I've been trying to ignore. But I won't anymore. I'll let you in. I want to let you in." I looked into his eyes searching for anything that would make me think this can work. He seemed to be doing the same thing. "I'll be a good wife to you, I'll take care of you too," I said. And then he leaned in to kiss me. It started out soft and chaste, lips on lips exploring. We had only kissed chastely in front of his family. This was new and nice. And then something else seemed to take over; I could feel something pulling me to him, tying me to him. I opened my eyes to see Edward looking at me with surprise and I gasped. Did he feel it too? He leaned into me again slipped his tongue into my mouth and grasped the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him. But it wasn't enough. My hands grabbed at his neck pulling his hair. There was a hum around me that I'd never felt before. The next thing I know the door was being opened and Edward and I pulled apart. The driver apologized and closed the door quickly allowing us a few minutes to collect ourselves.

Edward chuckled and then rubbed his hand on his neck smoothing his hair. "That was interesting," he said. I could feel the blush taking over my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to collect myself. And then looked over at Edward, he placed a small chaste kiss on my lips. I wiped away the lipstick from his mouth and smiled.

I pulled the compact out of my purse and checked my make up, reapplied lipstick, and smoothed out my hair. After another deep breath I looked at Edward and said, "Let's do this."

We walked into the lobby of the Omni Hotel hand in hand, and I was still flushed from our make out session. I noticed a large group of people to our left and tensed up. Edward squeezed my hand and whispered, "I'll take care of you." He leaned in kissing me on the lips and looked into my eyes to assure me. I nodded as he pulled away and I touched my lips. He smiled at me and leaned in again, "you taste amazing." My breath caught and he was kissing me again, his hands tight around my waist. The room disappeared as Edward took over all of my senses. I brought my hand to his cheek as he started pulling away. "So do you," I whispered. He wrapped an arm around my waist and flashed a brilliant smile and then he pulled me toward his family.


	2. Chapter 1

_**edward**_

"Get his ass in the warehouse," I said annoyed. The asshole wouldn't shut up and he was getting on my nerves. "Stick a fucking rag in his mouth or tape that shit up. He's getting on my fucking nerves." I heard a thud and then the guy shut up. Finally.

"Let's get this cleaned up and get out of here. I have things to do." I had a few people to meet after this mess was cleaned up and I needed to get all of this taken care of before I went to see my father.

My father was an intimidating man. He was mean son of bitch but you would never know it by looking at him. He was always calm and collected but he would shoot you in the head with no hesitation if you pissed him off. This is why I am here tonight. The guy responsible for our pick ups had been skimming off the top thinking the amounts were small enough that no one would notice. But I noticed. I am responsible for all of the money that flows through the business and if it's missing, it's my ass. I have had to work my way through the ranks just like everyone else. I went to Dartmouth and graduated with a business degree. It was a stepping-stone to prepare me for the inner workings of our family business. This has always been my future, I never had another choice. This is my life and I accept it. I embrace it and support my family, in any way necessary.

As far as this situation is concerned, my father will expect the situation to be taken care of before he even knows it happened. My brother and I are expected to handle what is needed without having to run to him for answers.

I stepped into the warehouse and noticed that there were screens and light fixtures set up along the back wall. Damn it, why is this shit is still in here. Did the photographer that was here this morning just leave all this behind? "Matt!" I yelled.

"Yeah, boss?" he asked.

"Did you sweep?" I was still looking around and then I glanced up at the offices. The doors were closed and the blinds were all drawn. As I turned away I thought I noticed something flash up there.

"Yeah, boss. It's clean." I nodded and looked back up at the offices. I didn't see anything else after a couple of minutes so I turned back to Matt.

"Let's get this over with." The asshole was tied to a chair with duct tape over his mouth. I walked over and stood in front of him. Nodding at Matt, he removed the tape and the idiot yelled out so Matt punched in the face and told him to shut up.

"Why were you stealing from me?" I asked quietly. He shook his head and closed his eyes. He was talking quietly to himself. I kicked his foot and he opened his eyes.

"I wasn't. I didn't take anything." Matt punched him again.

"Why were you stealing from me?" I asked again taking in his appearance. Long sleeved shirt, black dress pants, black shoes, no tie. He had a scruffy beard and his hair was long and unkempt. I stepped closer to him and looked at his face. He closed his eyes again and I grabbed his throat. "Open your eyes." His eyes popped open, red rimmed and dilated, his face was turning purple from the lack of air. "How long?" I asked. He looked at me and the panic in his eyes told me he knew what I was asking.

"A couple of months," he said quietly. He knows the rules. No using while you work for me. It clouds your vision, fucks up your judgment.

I looked at Matt and nodded. I heard the shot and then a gasp behind me. I turned around to see a woman standing on the stairs right outside of the offices. Her hand was covering her mouth and her eyes were wide staring at the scene behind me. I pulled my gun and turned to Matt shooting him once in the head. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed my brother. I turned back to the brunette on the stairs and kept eye contact with her.

"Cullen," he answered.

"Jasper, I need you to send some guys to the spot."

"Alright," He answered and hung up. We never discussed locations or details over the phone, on and off in less than 30 seconds. I walked toward the brunette who was now crying and sitting on the top step. I made my way up the stairs and knelt in front of her. She was shaking and she flinched away from me.

"You have two choices," I said, "and you need to decide now or you won't make it out of here tonight."

She nodded. I helped her up and led her back into the office.

I was pacing in the office trying to get my shit together. Fucking asshole didn't sweep the place like he was supposed to. Well, I won't have to worry about that again.

I turned my attention back to the brunette. She's really quite stunning. Not the type I normally date but beautiful in a more natural way. She was small, no taller than 5'4", maybe weighed 110lbs, brown hair down to the middle of her back, brown eyes. As I took in her features, I realized I'd seen her before. Does she have an office or apartment near me?

"What's your name?" I asked quietly.

"B…Bella," she said quietly. "Isabella Swan." I sighed and walked toward her. I really don't want to kill her. I have a strange feeling that she is supposed to be here, in this moment with me. I have never felt a connection with anyone before and the one person who can hurt me and my family is like a magnet pulling me to her. I can't understand it but I feel like we could be something more. An idea pops into my head that is probably insane but it doesn't matter; I don't have any other options at this point.

"Bella," I knelt in front of her. She is crying quietly and staring at her hands. I took one of her hands, "This situation is not ideal for either of us." She nodded so I continued. "The only option I have to keep you alive is to say that we are together. You were in the office the whole time waiting for me. You didn't see or hear anything." I lifted her chin so she would look at me. Her eyes were like orbs that completely sucked me in. I could see all of her emotions flitting through them, fear, anger, sadness.

"What does that mean?" She asked as fresh tears ran down her face.

"It means, that you're mine. We'll be together, a couple, from now on." I said hoping she would understand my words. "You can never tell anyone what happened here today and you'll forever be linked to me and my family," I held her gaze. "You won't be able to turn back. Otherwise, ..." I trailed off not wanting to put the other option out there.

She didn't speak. The tears were still streaming down her face and she was moving her hands nervously. I walked over to the laptop on the desk and turned up her music making it loud enough to drown out any noise from downstairs. This is a detail my brother would notice. "What is your decision, Bella?" She nodded.

"Do you have make up here? A brush? You'll need to clean yourself up before my brother gets here." She nodded, picked up her bag and walked to the bathroom. I looked at the images on her computer. The looked like fashion shots. They were all against the black screen I saw downstairs. They were really beautiful shots. The colors popped against the black backdrop. Some of the images looked to be in motion, a slight blur to the model but not the clothes. I heard her walk up behind me. "These are amazing."

"Thank you," she answered quietly. I turned and leaned against the desk taking her hand. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to calm herself.

"You'll be okay," I said quietly running my hand through her hair. "We can discuss this more later." She nodded and I could see she was tearing up again. Just then I heard the door knob turn and I leaned in to kiss her so she wouldn't flinch at the door opening. I can't have her acting skittish and giving everything away.

"Hey man," I heard my brother say, "Oh. Damn Edward," I could hear the frustration in his voice. She shouldn't be here. I know she shouldn't be here but I couldn't go through with the alternative.

I pulled away from her and nodded and she smiled and put her hand on my neck. It was such an intimate gesture that it shook me from my calmness. "Hey Jasper, this is Isabella. We were just looking at the pictures from her shoot today." I turned the music down on the computer, knowing he'd notice that it was blocking the noise from downstairs. He had that 'what the fuck' look on his face and he was frowning but he walked over to the computer turning it toward him and scrolled quickly through the images taking note of the time stamps on the images. Nothing escapes our attention.

Isabella's hand tightened on my neck and she spoke to my brother, "I'm photographing the spring line for Alice Whitlock and the time got away from me. I didn't realize it was so late until Edward came up here to get me." She smiled and stuck her hand out introducing herself to my brother. "Isabella Swan."

"Jasper Cullen." He answered. "So, you've been up here all afternoon?" he asked maintaining eye contact with her.

"I have. We shot all of the photos late morning to make sure we had good lighting through all of the windows. Then I released the models and decided to work up here since everyone was gone. I like to look at everything while its fresh." She scrolled through the images on the screen and pulled up an image of a woman with spiky hair. The woman's face was turned away from the camera with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. She had on a tight silver dress with a black belt and black stilettos. And Bella was right, the lighting hit her in such a way that she appeared to be glowing. She looked up at me and I smiled at her and kissed the back of her hand lightly.

Jasper nodded. "Nice picture. How long have you guys been seeing each other?" He was firing off questions searching for holes in my story.

"Since I rented her the space for the photo shoot," I responded looking him in the eye.

"How come we haven't heard about her?" He asked me pointedly. We don't keep secrets from one another. Another detail he called me out on.

"I was keeping her to myself," he nodded knowing that introducing her to the family meant that she was staying. Jasper and I had never brought a woman home to meet our parents.

"Well," he shook his head and raised an eyebrow, "she's not just yours anymore," making it clear that I would be introducing her to the family. This situation doesn't allow for any other options. "Are you finished here?" He asked looking at Bella.

"Oh yeah, I can finish up at the office." She started packing up computer and cameras. I took the camera bag from her and led her out of the room.

"Mom wants us to be at the house by 7 for dinner. You might want to call her and let her know to set an extra place. She'll be pissed if you bring her unannounced."

"I'll call her from the car. I still have a couple things to do before we go over there." He nodded.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.

"Yeah, that would be good. Meet you at my place?" I asked and walked toward Bella's car, a black Audi Q5. She was parked along the warehouse on the other side of the street.

"Yeah, see you in 20. Nice to meet you, Isabella, see you at dinner," Jasper said quickly as he walked away.

"Nice to meet you too," she said with a smile. Jasper got into his car and drove away leaving me with Bella. I put her bags into the back of her car while she stood quietly next to me.

I looked over at her and said, "It's the only way."

She sighed and nodded. "Will you follow me home? This way you'll know where to pick me up later." I nodded and helped her into the car.

"I'll pick you up at 6:00. Do you have your phone?" She pulled the phone from her purse and handed it to me. I programmed my number into the phone and then called my phone. "I'll call you when I'm on my way."

"Okay," she answered quietly. I closed her door and watched her as she drove away.

On the way to my apartment I called my attorney. I needed a background check done before Bella walked into my mother's house.

"Garrett and Associates, how may I help you?"

"Kate Garrett, please. This is Edward Cullen."

"One moment," I was placed on hold. It only took a couple minutes for Kate to answer.

"Hello Edward," Kate said as she came on the line.

"Hi Kate, I need a background check on Isabella Swan and I need the information before 6pm." I didn't leave any room for argument.

"Is there anything in particular you are looking for?" she asked.

"No, just pull everything you can. I need it for a meeting this evening." A meeting, hah! I'm taking her into the wolves.

"Alright, I'll email the file to you," she said and then disconnected. I like that about Kate. All business.

I pulled up to my apartment to find Jasper leaning against his car. He walked over to my car and climbed in. He gave me a head nod and we were on our way to deal with the aftermath of the asshole we took care of earlier, business as usual.

When I got home, I stripped and showered and dressed in a suit. Typical family dinner but I needed to be ready because tonight the focus would be on me. I never brought myself to the attention of my father. I stayed under the radar. Did what was necessary, anticipated my father's requests, had information ready for him before he asked. This is the first time I would do something completely unexpected. And I'm scared shitless.

My father would not be happy that I invited a woman into our family home that he doesn't know, has never heard of, and I'll probably be expected to propose to her this evening. When I said she wouldn't be able to turn back, I was dead serious. The decision I made has tied us together forever. I'm not sure why I wanted to save her. Normally, I would have gotten rid of the problem and moved on. But I hesitated with her. Seeing her sitting on the stairs, crying but not hysterical did something to me. She's a strong woman. She didn't freak out when I explained things in the office. She acted right along with me when Jasper showed up. She's exactly the kind of woman a person in my position looks for- strong, beautiful, resilient. I'm not an idiot. I know she is probably scared to death of me. I mean, hell, I shot a man right in front of her without a second thought.

As I finished dressing, I checked the clock and went to my office. Kate's email was sitting in my inbox. I opened the file and looked it over. She was born to Renee and Charles Swan in Forks, Washington. Parents divorced. She remained in Washington when her mother left. Her father died in the line of duty – that explains why she's so strong. No other family. Here mother's maiden name is Buccieri. She attended Northwestern, Art Major. She owns her own gallery and does fashion photography for select designers. She has a nice net worth from her business, inheritance and father's life insurance. No boyfriends. No friends. No one is attached to this woman. I stood and looked out the window taking in the city below. Who is Isabella Swan? And why does the name Buccieri sound familiar to me.

I finished getting ready, printed the background check and placed it in an envelope for my father and walked out the door. I would show up early at Bella's but I felt like we needed to talk before we get to my parents. I called her cell phone.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Bella, its Edward. I'm on my way up. What is your apartment number?"

"624," she answered and hung up. Great.

I knocked on the door and she opened it and walked away. I closed the door behind me and looked around. I walked to the bar and poured myself a glass of wine from the bottle she left open. She was pacing the room and she looked pissed off. I took in her clothing and she had on a purple wrap dress with silver jewelry and silver strappy shoes. Her hair was in curls down her back with one side pulled up with a silver clip. She looked sexy as hell and I am pretty happy with my last minute decision at this moment. I hope she doesn't ruin it when she speaks.

I cleared my throat, "I think we should discuss some things before we get to my parents house."

She nodded and turned to me. "Take off your jacket and tie. Unbutton the top two buttons of your shirt," she ordered me and then took off toward another room. I followed behind her.

"What? Why?" What the hell is going on?

"I'm going to take some pictures to place around my apartment. I don't want to take the chance that someone comes over and there isn't even a hint of you in the place where I live." She turned around and walked over to me taking my jacket and hanging it in the hall closet. I took off my tie and unbuttoned the shirt like she asked. She took my tie and hung it on the doorknob. She grabbed her camera and took a picture of it then placed her camera back on the table. The room she led me to had red walls and white couches. There was a glass coffee table and low lighting in the corner. There was a camera set up in the room and she gestured to the couch. "Have a seat on the couch. I'm going to set the timer so we can take a few together." I nodded placed my wine glass on the coffee table next to hers and sat down not sure what she wanted me to do.

She set the timer on the camera and then she came and sat next to me. She slipped off her shoes and pulled her feet up under her on the couch and leaned into me. I relaxed back into the couch and put my arm around her waist. I didn't take my eyes off of her. There were emotions flitting across her face so quickly it was hard to see all of them, determination, anger, sadness and resignation. I closed my eyes, trying to remove the images from memory. I leaned my forehead against her temple and saw the flash from behind my closed lids. I lifted my head and kissed her temple, hoping she could feel the apology. Flash. She placed her hand on my chest and turned her face toward me and we looked into each other's eyes. Flash. "Smile at the camera," she said. Flash. We both turned to the camera she leaned her head against my chin and we both smiled. It felt intimate. It felt right.

She got up from the couch and took the camera off of the tripod but then snapped a picture of me picking up my wine glass and another of me taking a drink. "Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to load these onto the computer and then send one to each of our phones."

"Can I see them?" I asked.

"Sure," she shrugged. I followed her to the office. She removed the memory card from the camera and placed it in her laptop.

"What made you decide to do this?" I asked as I looked around her space. I saw a flash in the window and turned to look at her.

"Well, I'm a photographer. Who would believe that we've been together and I don't have any pictures of you." I nodded. "Come, take a look."

I walked over to her desk and was amazed by the pictures on the screen. They were all in black and white and they were breathtaking. We looked so intimate and close, like we've been together for years. We were looking into each other's eyes, having a conversation without words. She looks flawless on the computer screen and there is a small smile on her face when I am kissing her temple. And I'm not familiar with the look on my face. I have a look of adoration on my face, and maybe love. She is smiling at the camera but my gaze is on her. I shivered and Bella turned to look at me with watery eyes. Maybe she can see it too.

"We look good together," I said not knowing what else to say but knowing there is something bigger going on here. She nods.

"Which picture should I email you?" she asked. "You can use it as my picture so it pops up when I call."

"The one where I am kissing your temple," I said quietly. She nodded and used her Bluetooth capabilities to send it to my phone. She downloaded the picture she took of me drinking my wine and sent that to her phone along with the picture of us staring into each other's eyes.

"I'm going to print and frame all of the photos and group them along the apartment. Almost like a gallery showing." She looked around the area visualizing it. "I'm sure it won't be long before I receive an unannounced visit from your family." I nodded acknowledging the reality of that statement.

"I'm going to change my dress. I'll be right back and then we can talk for a bit." She walked out of the room and I continued to roam around her apartment. She had great pictures of the Chicago skyline on the wall behind the couch. The pictures were grouped together showing different times of the day, sunrise, sunset and nighttime. There were some abstract paintings on the walls in the dining room. Everything was clean lines and modern furniture. The dining room held a cherry wood table with straight back chairs and white cushions. The lights that hung from the ceiling were single fixtures with red glass. The living room had white couches with red throw pillows and an oversized leather chair in the corner near the window. It almost looked out of place except there was a red throw blanket and white pillow that blended it into the room. The entry way had a glass console table with a bouquet of flowers and a bowl for her keys. The décor was minimal but fit the artistic side of her perfectly. But I could tell that the design hid her personality. Maybe we were more alike than I thought. I don't think anyone knows who I really am. This could be my chance to change that.

My phone beeped and I pulled it from my pocket opening the picture she sent me. The couple looking back at me was unfamiliar, but I wanted it. I wanted the closeness displayed in that small frame. I saved it as my phone wallpaper and decided that I would do whatever necessary to make this work.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Bella**_

I took a drink of wine from my glass and changed out of my dress. I slipped on a black Donna Karan dress with jewels along the neck that stopped right above the knee. My jewelry and shoes worked just fine with my dress. On second thought, I'd better change my jewelry. I don't want Edward's family to notice that I wore anything similar in the picture that I did to their home.

I walked out of my bedroom and leaned against the doorway leading to the living room. Edward was sipping a glass of wine and taking in my apartment. I looked around wondering what it was he saw. Did he think this was really me? Or did he realize that nothing in this apartment reveals who I really am.

I'm alone here in Chicago. My mother and I had a falling out years ago and we don't speak. My father was killed in the line of duty and I moved to Chicago right after the funeral. I haven't looked back. I don't have any friends here and I mostly keep to myself. I hired someone to decorate the apartment after I bought it. I took another look around and then turned my attention toward Edward. He really is a beautiful man. At least six feet tall and muscular but not bulky. He has beautiful green eyes that lighten or darken with his mood and his hair is a beautiful auburn color with highlights that you can only see in the light.

I've tried to be angry with Edward for the situation that we are in, but I can't find it in my heart to do it because now I have Edward in my life. I've known the man for less than 4 hours and we've hardly spoken. I know absolutely nothing about him except that he is dangerous. But I feel like there is something bigger going on here. Maybe I didn't find him on my own and fall in love in the traditional sense of the word, but I do have him now. We are forever linked by this impossible situation. He can't leave me and I can't leave him. I'm not naïve enough that I don't know who his family is or how they earn their living. But I do know that once you are part of this family, there is no turning back.

But I can't help but feel that there is some kind of connection between us. As I looked at the pictures we took earlier, I couldn't help but feel that we are meant to be together. There was a look of familiarity between us and the expression on his face was of adoration and hope. I've seen it many times when I've photographed couples for engagement pictures and weddings. And we had that look. Like we shared something important that no one else was in on. Ha! We definitely share something that no one else will ever know.

But in order to pull this off completely, I'm going to need to talk to him. I haven't talked to anyone on a personal level in years. I'm not sure how this will work. I am completely out of sorts here. I don't know what to say or how to start. I haven't talked to anyone in years! I have business relationships. My employees and suppliers don't know who I am outside of work. I never discuss my personal life, with anyone. Not that I have much of a personal life but still. My mother leaving me when I was young had such a negative impact on me. It made me believe that love doesn't last. That the people most important to you leave. Why invest time in someone when they are just going to leave? When my father died, I completely closed myself off from everyone. It was the one relationship that I knew I could always count on. And then he was taken away from me too.

Peter and Angela are my best friends in the world, even though I don't really treat them that way anymore. We had known each other since the 3rd grade and they know everything about me. Well, everything up until I left for Chicago. They both married after college and while I went to their weddings I didn't really take the time to get to know their partners. My best friends got married and I became the fifth wheel. They had someone else to focus their attentions on now and I wasn't so important. So I blocked myself off even further. In all honesty, I was jealous. Jealous of the ease the couple had with one another. That they could give each other over to another person in such a way that they became one person. I was jealous that I hadn't found that connection with someone. I've always had a hard time connecting with people but I always felt like if that person came along, I would know, he would know and we'd be perfect together. But at the same time, I had no desire to put myself in that position. I had no desire to have my heart broken again.

While my mind was working, my eyes were following Edward around the room. He was carrying his glass of wine and casually walking around my apartment taking in my books and artwork. As if he sensed I was in the room, Edward stopped moving and turned toward me. Our eyes connected and we were frozen in that moment. Both of us communicating, _Can we can do this? I hope we can do this_.

"So, what do you think?" I asked and waved a hand around the room.

"It's nice, but it's not you," he answered and took a drink of wine. So he does see me.

I smiled, "I hired a decorator when I bought the apartment. I gave her a color scheme and let her go crazy. I spend most of my time in my office anyway."

"I ran a background check on you," he said as he walked toward me. "My father will want to know as much about you as possible." He stopped in front of me and I could feel his breath on my face. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. "To be honest, I didn't learn anything about you except that you're Italian on your mother's side," I looked up at him and he smiled.

I couldn't think with him so close to me so I nodded. How did he have this affect on me? He smiled at me with a crooked grin. It was sexy as hell and his green eyes sparkled with mischief. "I can't wait to figure out who you are," he whispered and then he leaned in and kissed my neck. It was the most sensual thing I've ever felt in my life. He pulled away and led me to the couch. "We have half an hour. Let me fill you in on my family so you're not blindsided."

Edward told me all about his mother and father who overall sounded like very nice people. He said they would question me, and my motives, but once they accepted me that was it. There would never be another question about it. As an afterthought, he mentioned that he was glad I was secure financially because that would be one of his father's main concerns. He said dinner is always formal at their home because there is always a need to be prepared for someone dropping in. He said that business is never discussed at the table and I he would do his best to make sure I am not exposed to anything that would put me in any kind of danger. I also found out that because I would now be out in the open as his girlfriend that police would come out of the wood works following me and trying to question me. But he said this wouldn't be an issue since I will never be exposed to sensitive information. He asked that I ignore any questions and refer them to my lawyer, our lawyer.

Edward said that contrary to popular belief he has not been with a lot of women. I raised my eyebrows at him and raked him over with my eyes. He laughed, "Seriously, I feel like something so intimate should mean something. I mean, I'm not a monk but I am ... was very particular with who I went home with. I'm not very trusting of people and I don't take the time to get to know most people. So I tend to keep my distance." He cleared his throat, "I've also never taken a woman to my parent's home. This is a really big deal and I don't know exactly what my parents expectations will be tonight. You should be prepared for anything."

I nodded and then blurted out, "I've never been with anyone." I closed my eyes berating myself for blurting that out and then added, "I've never met a man that interested me enough to get that far. I have a hard time letting people get close to me." I looked down at my hands and I could feel my face warm.

When I looked back up at him, he smiled at me and laughed, "does this means I have a chance then?"

I shook my head and covered my face. I could feel my face heat with my blush. He took my hand and kissed my palm. "I won't press my luck but I hope you will let me get to know you. I want this to work. Not just because of our situation but because I think we can be good together."

I looked up at him and placed my hand on his cheek, "I'd like that. I don't want to pretend with you. If we are going to do this, I want it to be real."

He leaned in and kissed me softly. "We should go if we don't want to be late." I nodded and walked to the coat closet. I handed Edward his jacket and he helped me with my coat.

"Oh, your tie!" I ran to the den and grabbed it off of the doorknob. Once we were presentable, we headed out into the Chicago night to face our future.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

To say I was nervous was an understatement. As we made our way up the drive the to his parents home, I was completely awestruck. This home was absolutely amazing. It was all stone exterior with windows everywhere. Small boxes of light lit up the drive making the home look welcoming and for a moment, my nerves were gone. As Edward parked the car, I noticed a curtain flutter at one of the windows and my nerves came back in full force. I could feel my hands trembling.

Edward took my hand rubbing small circles on my palm and said, "We just have to get through this first visit and then we'll be good. I have no doubt my parents will see how amazing you are."

My eyes watered as I accepted his words and I kissed the palm of his hand. I nodded and took a deep breath. Edward opened my door and took my hand to help me out of the car. As I stood, Edward wrapped an arm around my waist and I leaned into him resting my forehead on his chest. I felt his kiss the top of my head as he said, "come on."


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just wanted to give them a different place to play._

_**edward**_

To say I was nervous was an understatement. I have no idea how my parents will react when Bella and I get there. And I don't know what Jasper has told my father. I know he was pissed when he found Bella and I in the warehouse earlier. As we pulled up to the house I could feel Bella's hand trembling in mine.

"We just have to get through this first visit and then we'll be good. I have no doubt my parents will see how amazing you are," I said quietly.

Her eyes watered and she kissed the back of my hand. She took a deep breath to center herself and nodded again. I got out of the car and opened her door, helping her out of the car. I kept her hand in mine and wrapped the other arm around her waist. She leaned in to me and I kissed the top of her head. It didn't escape my notice that the curtain in the living room moved slightly.

The door opened just as we reached the top step. My parents stood there waiting to greet us. I leaned in to Bella and whispered, "here we go."

"Edward," my mother said. I released Bella's waist but kept her hand in mine. I kissed my mother's cheek and said, "Hi Mom."

I held my hand out to my father, "Dad, how are you?"

"Hello, son. It's good to see you." He took my hand and pulled me into a one armed hug.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like to introduce you to Isabella Swan. Isabella, these are my parents, Esme and Carlisle Cullen."

Bella smiled and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, its an honor to meet you." My mother smiled at her and pulled her into a hug.

"Isabella, it's lovely to meet you. You're beautiful." Bella blushed and my mother laughed.

"Isabella, welcome to our home," my father said as he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for having me." She was demure and sweet. Exactly the type of girl every man wants to bring home to his parents. I turned away from her to look at my parents and my mother was beaming. I took a deep breath and smiled at her.

"Let's have a drink before dinner." My father ushered us toward the sitting room. Bella was looking around the house and I could see she was admiring the décor.

"You're home is beautiful. I love the artwork you have in the entry." Bella said unknowingly saying the right thing get my mother talking.

"Oh, thank you dear. It's taken years to get things just the way I like them. I'm very particular about the pieces I place in my home." My mother said taking a seat on the couch and gesturing for Bella to sit next to her. I kissed Bella's hand as she sat and went to help my father with the drinks.

I pulled the envelope out of my pocket and placed it on the bar. My father nodded and put it in his jacket. He handed me a scotch and a glass of wine. I nodded my thanks and made my way to Bella. She flashed me a smile of thanks for the wine and continued talking to my mother.

"Edward, how did you and Bella meet?" my mother asked me.

"Well, a few months ago Bella came into my office to book one of the warehouses for a photo shoot. I noticed her in the lobby and I couldn't get her out of my head. So I approached her on her way out and we've been seeing each other since then." I maintained eye contact with Bella as I spoke and she blushed and ducked her head. My mother laughed.

"Oh Bella, you need to learn to play hard to get or my son will take advantage of you," this made Bella blush even more and she fanned her face with her hands to try and cool down. Even my father laughed at this.

To say I was surprised at how quickly my parents took to Bella is an understatement. The affection they showed to her was almost immediate. There was never a lull in conversation and Bella was laughing and talking freely. I couldn't help but sit back and take her in. The way we met was unfortunate, but sitting here watching her interact with my family, I couldn't be sorry about it. I had been so caught up watching her that I didn't notice my father watching me. I turned slightly to see my father sitting back in his chair looking at me with a grin. I cleared my throat and straightened up. My father nodded his head toward the study and stood.

"Bella, will you be okay for a few minutes? I'm going to join my dad for a moment."

"Of course, Edward, I'll be fine," she flashed me a smile and squeezed my hand.

I walked toward the study with my father. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and said, "Well done."

Once we were in his study with the door closed he pulled out the envelope I had given him.

"I had Kate run a background on her earlier." I sat on the sofa. I took a drink of my scotch while my father reviewed the information.

"Wow, there is absolutely nothing on here," he took off his glasses and looked at me. "So, what's her story?"

I told him what little I knew about her family. "Well, her mother left her with her dad when she was a kid. Just after she graduated from high school, her father was killed in the line of duty – he was the police chief of her small town. After that she pretty much closed herself off to the world. Not wanting to get close to anyone for fear of disappointment or abandonment. She moved here, went to Northwestern and now she is a photographer and owns her own gallery."

My dad nodded and sat back in his chair. He was quiet for a few minutes. "Jasper told me she was at the warehouse earlier."

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, "Yeah, the timing was shitty. She had a photo shoot this morning and should have been gone by the time we got there. I had Matt sweep but he fucked that up," my dad nodded acknowledging that Matt was taken care of. "I heard the music upstairs, handled Matt, and then called Jasper. When I walked into the office, she was surprised to see me. She didn't look like a person who saw something bad happen. I stayed in the office with her until Jasper gave me the all clear."

My dad continued to nod his head and then he looked at me with a furrowed brow. "Are you sure about her? You're willing to bring her into our family? You trust her?"

I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and looked my father in the eye. "Yes, I don't know why or how to explain it but I trust her with my life." My dad and I maintained eye contact until he made a decision and his eyes cleared.

"We'll need to discuss a few things. Until we know more about her family background she isn't to be told about any family business. Nothing," he raised an eyebrow at me and I nodded. " The fact that she is a Buccieri may be a problem. Do you remember the story about them?" I shook my head. He stood from the desk and went to the bar to refill his drink. He walked back over and sat on the edge of his desk.

"Vincenzo and Teresa Buccieri came to the US in the early 1900's. Our families were friends in Palermo before immigrating to the US. The Buccieri's settled in New York while our family came to Chicago. Vincenzo ended up working for Antonio Aro. Vincenzo never wanted to actually join the family, he just wanted to earn an honest living to support his wife. From what my grandfather told me Antonio Aro was a reasonable man. He and Vincenzo became friends and eventually Vincenzo opened up a bakery in Queens. Vincenzo and his wife ended up having quite a few kids and the middle boy Saul ended up working for the Aro's. I'm not exactly sure what Saul did to offend the family but it was big enough that every family knew the Buccieri's owed a great debt to the Aro family. I've heard over the years that a daughter born to Saul was _promised_ to the Aro family. How much of that is true, I don't know. And the circumstances behind this rumor are unknown. I tend to mind my own business when it comes to these personal problems but with Isabella's mother being a direct descendant, it may come up. We'll need to do find out more about her and her family. Does Isabella know about any of this?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so. It hasn't really come up." I sat back in my chair thinking over the story my father just told me. "I asked Kate to pull up everything she could find on Isabella and her family."

With that said, my father nodded and walked over to the bookcase opening the hidden panel to the safe. He walked back over to me and I stood as he approached.

"She seems like a wonderful woman, son. I know that this relationship must be serious for you to bring her to our home. And I realize that there may be some things to work out once we have more information about her family but I feel confident that this is going to be a good thing for you. Your mother and I were the same way when we first met. No rhyme or reason as to why I wanted her but I did. I think Bella is a perfect match for you. She'll make a beautiful addition to the family."

He placed a hand on my shoulder as he held the black velvet box out to me. I looked him in the eye and accepted the box, opening the lid slowly. My great-grandmother's ring, a thick gold band with a large round center diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. It's a beautiful ring and to be honest, it will look beautiful on Bella's finger. Part of me feels bad that I'm taking the real experience of falling in love and getting married away from her. But another part of me, the possessive part of me, is ecstatic that she will be mine. I hope one day she will believe that I am hers as well.

I looked up at my dad with a smile, "I really thought it was going to take awhile for you to approve of us."

"Son, you've never brought a woman home to meet your mother and me. That alone is enough to convince me to give her a chance. And I can tell by the way the two of you look at each other that this is the real deal," he paused and gave me a hard look. "I think there is more to the whole warehouse story. I don't know what or if she saw anything and I don't want to know but she may have crucial information about our family now. And you will tie her to us."

I maintained eye contact with him and gave him a sharp nod.

He smiled then and said, "Thank God she's Italian or this whole thing could have gone to shit."

I laughed at his comment. "Thank you," I said simply.

He clapped me on the back and said, "Let's get back out there. Will you propose during dinner?" he asked completely eager for this to happen.

"Do you want me to?" I asked with a slightly panicked look on my face.

He laughed and said, "Hell, son. The hard part was meeting the family, proposing should be a piece of cake. Just wait until your mother starts asking for grandchildren." I stopped walking and looked at him with wide eyes. I'm pretty sure all of the color drained from my face.

My father was laughing as we entered the sitting room and both women turned to look at us. My mother looked at me with amusement and Bella looked a little concerned. The expression on my face must be disconcerting. She looked at my mother and then stood and walked over to me.

"Are you okay? " she placed a hand on my chest and her eyes showed her worry.

I pulled her into a hug and looked over to my father who nodded at me. I took a deep breath and pulled back from Bella enough to see her face and kissed her lips softly. She kissed me back but blushed and glanced at my parents, embarrassed to show affection in front of them. I know that what I am about to do will be difficult for her and I am really fucking worried about how she'll react. I wonder if she took my earlier warning of _being prepared for anything_ to heart. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Bella," I took her face into my hands, "I have something to ask you," she nodded maintaining eye contact with me. "You have captured my heart and soul in the short time that I've known you. You are beautiful, smart, extremely talented and the only person who truly understands who I am." I dropped to one knee in front of her and held out the ring. "Isabella, will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened and then closed. When she opened them again, her eyes were filled with tears. She knelt down next to me and whispered, "yes." I looked into her eyes and kissed her gently. I put the ring on her finger and then hugged her as she clung to me. I could feel her sobs as I held her to me. God, I feel like such an asshole. Here I am taking away the chance that this might have happened to her in a completely natural way. That she may have met some regular joe on the street, fallen in love, gotten married and had babies. I am the one taking that experience away from her. I pulled her in closer to me and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

After that, things were in full swing. My mother was ecstatic and was crying right along with Bella. My father hugged Bella and whispered something in her ear that made her smile. I just hope that she can find a way to be happy with me, that I can make all of this up to her. Jasper came downstairs and congratulated us. Dinner was over fairly quickly and Bella made plans to get together with my mother for brunch the next day.

Bella didn't speak to me on the ride back to her apartment. She looked out the window and down at her ring but she didn't speak. I noticed that she wiped away tears every so often and it made my stomach feel heavy with disappointment.

I parked outside of her building and shut off the engine. We both sat quietly for a few moments. I didn't know what to say. I don't have another way to fix this. We are in this too deep now. "Would you like to come up?" Bella asked quietly.

I nodded and got out of the car taking a deep breath as I opened her door. I helped her out of the car and held her hand as we walked into the building. The elevator ride was quiet, but she never let go of my hand.

Once inside the apartment, she walked away from me putting away her coat and purse, removing her shoes. She walked toward her bedroom as I removed my coat. I threw my jacket on the chair closest to me and stood in the living room not sure what to do.

I loosened my tie and ran my hands through my hair as I walked over to the bar. I pulled out a bottle of brandy and a glass. I took a drink and walked over to the windows that overlooked the city. This part of the apartment was still dark and the view was amazing. I could sense Bella walking up behind me but I didn't turn to her. I took another drink and I felt her hands on my back. I closed my eyes and felt her rest her head against me as she wrapped her arms around my waist. I placed my hand over hers to comfort her while she cried.

_**Bella**_

I walked out of the bedroom and saw him staring out at the city. He had one hand in his pocket and a drink in the other and he looked so beautiful framed against the view of the city. All of the emotion from the day was catching up with me and my eyes started to fill with tears. I walked toward him hoping he'd understand that I just needed him to hold me.

I could tell he heard me approach him but he didn't turn to me. He took another sip of his drink and I tentatively placed my shaking hands on his back. He remained still. I finally let the emotion take over and rested my head on his back, wrapping my arms around him as I cried. He placed a hand over mine and I leaned further into him. He understood what I needed from him, that I just needed the connection. I felt my knees giving way and he quickly turned to wrap his arm around me to keep me from falling. He pulled me closer to him and held me as I continued to cry.

As I started to calm, I turned toward the windows and found our reflection. The image of us holding each other sent chills through me. I clung tighter to him and took another deep breath to calm myself. Our eyes connected in our reflection and something changed in that moment. Our connection to each other changed somehow.

When I was finally calm enough to pull away from him, I found that I didn't want to. I rubbed his sides with my hand letting him know I was okay now. His grip on me loosened but was hesitant. As I stepped away, he looked at me closely making sure I was really okay. He placed his glass on the end table and took my face in his hands gently wiping away the lingering tears from my cheeks. I closed my eyes and accepted the comforting gesture.

_**~ ~ u ~ ~**_

The next two weeks were quiet, very quiet. Meeting Edward had thrown a wrench in my routine. In all honesty, I had only spent a few hours with him but he had invaded all of my thoughts. We went to church together on Sunday and had lunch with his family afterward. I learned that this is something that would happen every Sunday. He dropped me home after lunch explaining that he had some business to take care of and he would talk to me later. I nodded and went inside. I hadn't spoken to him since his proposal. Not one word. I couldn't get my feelings or thoughts together regarding this whole situation. All of my emotions were boiling and raging inside of me. But on the outside I looked indifferent.

When Edward proposed to me at his parents home, I was completely shocked. He had warned me that I should be prepared for anything, but a proposal was the farthest thing from my mind. I mean, I had known him for hours! I watched him shoot a man in the head with no hesitation or remorse. How can I marry a man like that? How am I going to be able to spend a lifetime with him? I wanted to hate him for putting me in this situation. What kind of mobster does business during the day? Aren't they supposed to do all of that stuff at like two in the morning when normal people are sleeping? I hate that I was in that warehouse that day. I hate that I rented that particular warehouse for my shoot. I wanted to pull my hair and scream at the unfairness of it all.

But when my mini panic attacks are over, I think about how sweet Edward has been with me. He's been nothing but nice since that day. He holds my hand, opens doors for me, kisses my cheek. This situation can't be easy for him either. He made a choice not to kill me that day in the warehouse. He made that choice knowing he could never let me go. He took the chance that I wouldn't go to the police, _he's_ trusting _me_ not to betray him.

I am completely trapped in my own head. One moment hating Edward and the next happy that I will no longer be alone. Not to mention that his mother is wonderful. She is such a loving woman and while I haven't opened up to her yet, she is the exact image of what a mother should be.

And then in moments of complete desperation, I break down and cry. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know how I am going to survive this. How can I trust this man? Can I open up enough to let him in? How can I enter into a marriage with someone who is so dangerous? And then I remember, it's already done. I am a part of this family regardless of my questions and concerns and fears. I am eternally tied to Edward Cullen.

_~~ u ~~_

A few days into my brooding, Edward visited my office to invite me to lunch, causing quite a buzz with the few employees that I had. It annoyed me to no end that they all stopped to stare at him. And it annoyed me that he was invading my space. My gallery was the one place that was mine. A place that I could walk around and not see the image of him lingering. The only place I could get out of my head for awhile.

I happened to be at the front desk adding an appointment to the calendar when he arrived. The receptionist completely stopped what she was doing and I looked at her in annoyance noticing that her eyes were focused on something to my right. I turned to find Edward in a nicely tailored black suit with a green tie that brought out the color of his eyes. He had the shadow of a beard and his hair was in its normal disarray. I want to photograph him.

I could see that he was bothered by all of the attention he was getting as he approached the reception area. He hid it well, but there was a slight narrowing of his eyes when he noticed that everyone stopped what they were doing.

I smiled and said, "Edward, I wasn't expecting you." He flashed me a beautiful smile that showed he was happy with my response.

"Hi baby, I was in the area and thought we could get lunch," he leaned in to kiss me and I raised my left hand to his face and returned the kiss, making sure Lauren knew he was taken. "That sounds great, let me grab my purse." I turned back to Lauren, "please add Mr. Rosen to the calendar and I expect a better reception to visitors in the future." Her eyes were wide but she said, "Yes, Ms. Swan."

I'd only known this man for a few days and I had already become a completely possessive, jealous woman. And because I didn't like that I was jealous all of the sudden, I continued my silence. I could tell that Edward was disappointed that I wouldn't speak to him but I just couldn't bring myself to open up to him.

Edward and I met for lunch every day. We greeted each other with hello's and sweet kisses but once we were outside of the office, I didn't speak at all and neither did he. He seemed to understand that I needed my space. He always held my hand and helped me in the car, but he didn't push me to talk to him. It was like he knew I needed to get my emotions under control. We didn't see each other in the evenings and we didn't speak on the phone. It made my heart heavy to think that this could be the preview for our life together.

On Wednesday of the second week of silence, he called me at the gallery to let me know he wouldn't be able to meet me for lunch and I was disappointed that I wouldn't see him that day. He also wanted me to know that his mother planned an engagement party to be held on Saturday evening. I already knew this because his mother and I had been in contact almost daily since we met. I don't know why I found it so easy to talk to his mother but I couldn't bring myself to say more than two words to Edward.

He asked if I would meet him for dinner and I decided that I needed to grow up and accept that Edward is a part of my life now. I was shutting Edward out just like I did with everyone else in my life. And I realized that if we had any chance of making this work, if I had any chance of surviving this, I needed to open up to him. For two weeks, he met me for lunch everyday knowing that I wouldn't speak to him. So far, it seemed he was the only one making an effort .

So I invited him to my apartment for dinner. I would cook for him and we would talk. I would talk. And hopefully we could find some common ground.


	5. Chapter 4

_**edward**_

Bella hasn't spoken to me in days. I'm not really sure what to think about it. I realize there must be a million things going through her head. I mean, I fucking proposed to her after knowing her for 5 hours. Things can't really get more awkward than that can they? The upside to this week was her jealous reaction to the secretary in her gallery. She even raised her left hand to show off her engagement ring. It made me feel a little more confident that things might actually work between us.

I have been trying to give her space to work things out but with the engagement party scheduled on Saturday we were running out of time. Maybe we are too much alike for this to work. We both close ourselves off and hide our emotions. But I can't help the physical attraction I feel for her. She's beautiful but it's more than that. There is a quiet confidence about her that is completely alluring.

When I arrived at her apartment, I called her to let her know I was outside. The door was open when I arrived and I could smell amazing things as I walked in.

"Bella?" I called as I walked in and closed the door.

"I'm in the kitchen," she called out. I hung my coat in the closet and walked toward the kitchen with the bottle of wine I'd picked up. I opened the swinging door and was assaulted by the smells of the food she had prepared. I set the wine on the counter and walked over to her, kissing her on the cheek.

She smiled, "I'm sorry you had to let yourself in. The chicken was just ready as you rang the bell."

"Don't worry about it. It smells wonderful," I said looking over everything she had laid out.

"Thank you," she said kissing my cheek. The gesture surprised me but made my chest tighten with happiness and I couldn't help but smile. "Oh, you brought wine! It's lovely, thank you." I nodded.

"Can I help with anything?" I asked rolling up my sleeves.

"Can you start taking everything to the dining room while I finish here?" she asked.

"Sure." I took the salad and bowl of French bread to the dining room table noticing that she set two place settings across from each other in the middle of the table and the ends of the table held vases with a mixture of flowers. I set the bread and salad on either side of the place settings and went back into the kitchen for the wine. Bella followed me out with the chicken and pasta. She walked to the setting on the far side of the table, gesturing for me to sit and she plated a serving for me. She then repeated the action at her own setting before sitting down. I served the wine and we touched our glasses together before taking a drink. We maintained eye contact the whole time and I smiled as I set my glass down. I couldn't help but be happy with Bella's openness toward me.

I looked at Bella and she nodded toward the food, waiting for me to take a bite. I cut a piece of the chicken piccata and took in into my mouth. I had to close my eyes with how good it was. The chicken was tender and juicy and the taste of spinach, lemon, and capers were sharp. It was delicious, even better than my mother's. "Mmmm…" I said opening my eyes. Bella was blushing but there was a huge smile on her face.

"Do you like it?" she asked quietly.

"It's delicious." I said as I ate some of the pasta.

She took some of the pasta on her fork and looked at me. "I don't normally cook for guests," she shrugged.

"It's wonderful. Thank you," I said sincerely. She ducked her head and smiled again.

We ate quietly for a few minutes and the tension was growing knowing there were things we needed to discuss.

"Bella, you must have questions for me," I said simply hoping this would open the door between us.

"I do. Let's eat and then talk okay?" She asked. I nodded and we ate our dinner, mostly in silence.

After dinner, she led me to the living room with a fresh glass of wine. She sat on the sofa with her feet under her and played with the rim of her glass.

"I don't know where to start," she said quietly and sighed. "Edward, I don't have anyone. My father is gone, my mother isn't in my life. I have no siblings, no grandparents. I'm alone in this life I've created and I've been okay with that. I have my career and my gallery and I stay at arm's reach with everyone I meet. It's how I cope, it's how I have survived since my father passed away." She took a drink of her wine and looked up at me. "Then a random turn of events changes my life. Within a few minutes of knowing you, I'm asked to make a choice to live or die and a few hours later I'm engaged. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel and I don't know if I can do this." Her eyes watered at the last statement and I was at a loss for words.

"I know you have every reason to be terrified of me, I'm not a good person. I've done a lot of bad things in my lifetime, things I can't change. But Bella, I don't want you to be scared of me and I won't willingly hurt you. If anything has come out of this mess, it's that. One look at you on the stairs and I questioned everything. My life has always been very black and white. No gray area's. I have a job, I do what needs to be done and I move on. But seeing you in the warehouse that day..." I trailed off and looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry I've put you in this situation. It isn't fair to you to have to deal with all of this. But the alternative wasn't an option for me." I sighed and then moved toward her, kneeling on the floor in front of her. "However, I can't say that I am not glad I saw you that day. I want to get close to you, in any way you'll let me."

She nodded. "I feel it too," she said. "I know I've been distant and closed off with you these past couple of weeks but I needed to get my head on straight. Meeting your family the other night for dinner was so nice. Your mother treated me as if I belonged," she took a deep breath, "I haven't felt like I've belonged anywhere in years. And at the same time I want to be pissed off that all of my decisions are being taken away from me. I want to be angry with _you_ for taking my decisions away from me." She sat up straight and put her feet on the floor so that I was kneeling in between her legs. "I want to be angry with you but I can't. Because when I see that scene replay in my mind, I see a man that took complete control of a situation and in less than 2 seconds made decisions that changed our lives. Your eyes pierced my soul and tied me to you in two seconds. How is that possible? How am I supposed to come to terms with that?" her voice was rising the anger and anxiety starting to seep through. "I know that this decision affects you too and if anyone were to find out what you did ...," she trailed off and shook her head. "I feel like we are attached together by thread and we are weaving this impossible tapestry that we can never get out of and I can't figure out if that is a good or bad thing," she was quiet for a few minutes after this and I didn't know what to say. Her thoughts were erratic and it made sense why she hasn't spoken to me in days. Who could with all the noise running through her head? Things have always been fairly black and white to me. I have a job to do that takes quick decisions and sometimes those decisions don't work out the way I expect them to, but I have to figure out how to make it work. Her brain is so analytical she over thinks everything until she can't see straight. It's overwhelming just to listen to her.

"I'm also afraid," she said quietly, "that you won't ever want me, truly want me," she says urging me to understand. "I don't want to feel like you are settling. I don't want to feel like I'm settling, you know?" I took her hands in mine trying to give her some kind of comfort. And then she said the last thing I ever thought would come out of her mouth, "but at the same time, I feel grateful that someone finally took notice of me."

"Bella," I said so quietly it was almost a whisper, "Bella, you are a beautiful woman and I can tell you have a good heart, you are a good person. And the words you've just given me…" I trailed off. "I have completely altered your life; I've taken away the possibility of so many life experiences from you. The excitement of first love, the spontaneity of meeting someone random on the street and realizing they are yours." I shook my head and closed my eyes. "I've introduced you to a dangerous life, a life that will always be in the public eye, your anonymity is gone because of me." I moved to stand up not wanting to finish my thought but she tightened her grip on my hands causing me to open my eyes.

"But don't you see, I may have had anonymity but I would never have experienced any of those other things you mentioned. In the 26 years I've been alive, I've never experienced the butterflies of first love. I've had a few chaste kisses from boys in high school, insignificant little boys who weren't even appealing to me. I've never looked at a man the way I look at you. I've never been jealous of another woman until I stood next to you. I've been in my own bubble for so long…if you hadn't come along, …" She trailed off taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. I never took my eyes off of her face. "This is why I am at war with myself. You have given me experiences I know I'd never have had other wise but you also took away the possibility that it _might_ have happened someday."

We sat quietly for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts. I'm not sure what to think of her. I have taken so many options away from her. But as I look at her, her eyes closed, the curve of her jaw, the line of her neck, I can't help but want her to be with me. "Will you leave me?" I asked her. Wondering if she will disappear into the night. The thought makes my stomach sink.

She ran a hand along my neck and tangled her fingers in my hair, "I don't think I can," she answered simply.

I went home that night and stood in my living room staring out at the city below resolving that I while I've obligated myself to her care, I want all of her, heart, mind, body and soul. I want her to need me because her heart aches for me as I am aching for her now. It's amazing how fast your life can change.

_**~~ U ~~**_

Bella and I didn't see each other on Thursday or Friday. She had a photo shoot in Midtown that kept her busy both days and Jasper and I had to receive some shipments in for my father.

On Saturday, I showed up at Bella's a little after 4 o'clock. The engagement party was set to start at 6 and I wanted to see how Bella was doing before we left. I didn't want this evening to be any more difficult for her than it had to be. And while we'd talked through a lot on Wednesday, we hadn't really resolved anything. We hadn't made any decisions about what would happen next.

When I got to her apartment she looked a little frantic. She looked amazing in a cream colored dress with gold trim around the neckline and a gold chain like belt. She was wearing matching gold heels. She looked like a goddess. Her skin toned and bronze from the sun and her hair fell in curls down her back.

"Bella, you look beautiful," I said as I took her in. She said thank you and then finished off her glass of wine.

"It's still light out," she nodded toward the windows in the living room. "I'd like us to take a picture with the city as our backdrop. Would that be okay?"

"That would be great."

The leather chair sat in front of the floor to ceiling window and she already had the tripod set up. I sat on the arm of the chair and Bella angled the camera to my position. She walked to me and I pulled her in between my legs. I had my hands wrapped around her waist and she had one hand wrapped around my neck and the other hand on my chest. The camera was taking pictures in rapid succession and I wasn't sure what to do. I looked at Bella and took in her profile, I leaned in to kiss her cheek and she angled her head toward me. She then turned and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips and then we both turned to the camera and I smiled. After a few moments, Bella walked to the camera and pulled it off of the tripod. I walked up behind her and looked at the images on the small screen as she scrolled through them.

"They're perfect," she said quietly. "I'm going to go to the bathroom before we leave."

"Okay, I'm going to grab a drink. The car should be here in a few minutes."

She was in the bathroom for a awhile and I was starting to worry that something was wrong. I walked toward the hallway and heard her curse quietly. I knocked on the door before opening it. She was standing in front of the mirror with both hands grasping the counter.

"Are you okay?" I asked cautiously.

" Yes, I'm fine. I'll be right out," she answered quickly. I looked at her for a long moment before I walked away. We hadn't spoken much in the past two days and I was worried that she had changed her mind about what she wanted to do. I finished my drink just as she walked out.

"Let's go," she said quickly and headed toward the front door.

The ride to the hotel was quiet. I stared out the window wondering how this night was going to work if we couldn't even speak more than a few words to each other. I hoped it was her nerves getting to her. She would be meeting all of my family tonight and she wouldn't have anyone there to support her. I could feel my shoulders tense at the thought of her being uncomfortable all night.

"Edward," Bella said quietly. I turned to find her fidgeting with her hands. "I'm sorry."

She's sorry? For what? I pushed the button to lift the divider and moved closer to her. I was going to ask her what she meant when she spoke again.

"I know that all of this isn't your fault and that you are just trying to keep me safe. But why did you do it? Why sacrifice for me?"

I shook my head and looked out the window. "I don't know," I said quietly. "I wouldn't … haven't ever done that for anyone else." No one was supposed to be in that warehouse. I checked and double-checked all of the schedules. I knew that there was a photo shoot in the morning but figured everyone would be gone before we showed up. "Matt was supposed to search the building before…" I stopped and closed my eyes, my jaw clenching. "He didn't, obviously. And when I saw you there on the stairs," I sighed, and pictured her standing there with wide eyes and a hand covering her mouth. "There was something about you that made me want to protect you." I looked over at her. "I don't know how else to explain it. Hurting you wasn't an option." She looked at me for a few minutes and I turned back to the window. Wondering if that was the end of our conversation.

"I'll do whatever you need me to," she said quietly. "I'll be your partner or your friend, whatever you want. I won't ask questions." I turned to look at her and she took a shaky breath and closed her eyes. "I'm scared."

I took her hand and looked her in the eye. "I know you're scared. I won't let anything happen to you. We'll make this work." She nodded and tried to smile but a sob escaped instead. I pulled her into my arms resting my head on hers, "We'll be okay, Bella," I tried to soothe her. And then I thought fuck it, what do I have to lose. So I took her chin in my hand and said, "If we had met under different circumstances, I would have pursued you," I wiped her tears away. "I am attracted to you and I will do whatever I can to show you. This is all happening in the wrong order but let's just get to know each other. We can make this work without anyone knowing how it started. I'm committed to you. I won't do anything to make you think otherwise. I'll take care of you." I looked at my grandmother's ring on her finger. "I'll be a good husband to you. You can trust that. I will honor our vows."

I stayed quiet giving her time to process what I just said. Worried I had said too much. But really, what do I have to lose? Nothing. She finally spoke, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"I'm committed to you too. This is all very…" She sounded so conflicted as she looked at our entwined hands. "I feel a pull toward you that I've been trying to ignore. But I won't anymore. I'll let you in." I looked up at her in surprise and then looked into her eyes, searching for the truth in her words. "I'll be a good wife to you, I'll take care of you too," Her words were the push I needed and I leaned in and kissed her. It started out soft and chaste, lips on lips exploring. We had only kissed a few times, very chastely and mostly in front of other people. But this kiss was like nothing I had ever experienced before. It felt as if we were magnets being pulled to each other. I opened my eyes in surprise and she gasped. Did she feel it too? I pulled her to me kissing her hard and teasing her with my tongue but it wasn't enough. I needed more. I wanted more. My hands started to travel down to her sides to pull her closer to me and there was a hum around us, an energy that pulled me closer to her. All of the sudden the car door was opened and we pulled apart quickly, surprised by the interruption. The driver's eyes were wide as he apologized and he closed the door quickly allowing us a few minutes to collect ourselves.

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped me as I rubbed my neck. "That was interesting," I said. Her face flushed and she closed her eyes and she was breathtaking. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, I leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. She wiped her lipstick off of me and smiled.

We walked into the lobby of the hotel hand in hand and I felt her tense when she noticed the large group of people in the lobby. I squeezed her hand and whispered, "I'll take care of you." I kissed her gently and looked into her eyes to assure her that she would be okay. She nodded and touched her lips as I pulled away. They were swollen from the make out session in the car and she looked fucking beautiful. I smiled a cocky smile and leaned in again, "you taste amazing." Her breath caught and I was kissing her again, my hands wrapped tightly around her waist. The room disappeared and we were the only people in the room. Bella touched my cheek bringing me back to our surroundings. "So do you," she whispered. I couldn't help the smile from forming on my face and I wrapped my arm around her leading her toward my family. With all of my uncertainty gone I couldn't help but feel like tonight was going to be a great night.

~~ U ~~

_Bella_

The smile on Edward's face when I told him he tasted good was brilliant. It lit up his features making him look angelic. But the kiss in the car was amazing. I felt like fire was burning through me and he was the flame. I had never felt that before. Not with any other boy I'd kissed. But Edward wasn't a boy, he was a strong, dangerous, beautiful man that fell into my line of site by accident. His words and his smile as we walked into the lobby gave me the confidence I needed to get through this night. The only people who matter were Edward and I. The attraction I feel toward him will get me through tonight and I have no doubt that I will be madly in love with him by the time we take our vows. And if I'm lucky, he'll feel the same way.

Edward walked us toward the large group in the lobby politely saying hello and introducing me as his fiancé, Isabella. Hello's and congratulations were given, but I didn't catch any of their names because I was still wrapped up in how nice the words fiancé and Isabella sounded together. For the first time since the proposal, I actually absorbed the words and a warm, tingly feeling settled in my stomach.

We continued to the elevators that would take us to the restaurant that was reserved for us. As soon as the doors closed, Edward pushed me against the back wall and kissed me holding my hips tightly and pushing himself into me. I gasped at the feeling of him against me and I'm sure I blushed. But there was also a tightness in my stomach that I'd never felt before and it excited me and scared me at the same time. The kiss in the car seemed to unleash a spark in both of us.

"I can't get enough of you, Bella," he said as he trailed his lips back and forth along my jaw. "I've never felt this way with another woman. What are you doing to me?" his voice was breathy and seductive and it almost sounded like he was talking to himself. In an act of boldness, I licked his jaw and took his earlobe into my mouth moaning at the taste of him. His fingers tightened on my waist as the elevator dinged. He looked into my eyes and ran his hands up and down my arms, finally taking my hand and leading me into the restaurant.

The restaurant was beautiful. Our tables were set up allowing us an amazing view of the city below. The sun was just setting and the sky was a beautiful rainbow of colors. Breathtaking. Hopefully, it's a sign that our relationship will endure time.

Esme walked up to us then kissing us both on the cheek, "Isabella, honey you may want to go to the bathroom and touch up your lipstick." Her subtle hint that we had been caught making out like teenagers. I couldn't help but blush and look at Edward with wide eyes. He laughed and kissed my cheek.

"I'll be right back," I kissed him back and walked toward the bathrooms. I took my powder and lipstick out of my bag touching up my make up and making sure my hair wasn't a rat's nest. My cheek's were flushed and I couldn't help but smile. It's amazing how a kiss changed our entire dynamic. We started the night uncertain and nervous of what was to come but that kiss created an amazing tension between us and couldn't help but be happy about it. That tension would keep me on my toes tonight.

As I was finishing up, two women walked into the bathroom and looked me up and down. I raised an eyebrow, letting my inner bitch out to say hello. I may be quiet and shy with Edward, but I have spent years making myself unapproachable. The women said nothing and I closed my purse and walked out.

As I walked through the restaurant, I took in the décor and details of the design. It was very modern and upbeat, it would be a great place for a photo shoot, especially along the back wall at night. I'll have to ask someone to get a picture of Edward and I in front of that backdrop. I found him sitting at a small table in the back. He looked up as I walked toward him and gave me a small smile, raising his hand to me. He sat me on his lap and introduced me to everyone.

"Everyone, this is my Isabella," I smiled and nodded. "Bella, you already know Jasper," I smiled and gave him a little wave that made him chuckle. "This guy over here is my cousin Emmett and his girlfriend Rosalie." I smiled and reached over to shake their hands.

"It's nice to meet you both," I said when a flash of recognition came over me. "Rosalie, have I worked with you before, you look familiar?"

She narrowed her eyes at me and then smiled, "Yes, I've modeled for Alice and Alistair. I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you without a camera."

I waved away the comment, "No worries. I never forget a face," I said taking a drink of Edward's beer.

The restaurant was starting to fill up with a massive amount of people, none of them invited by me. There was a live band playing and several couples were dancing. I was still sipping Edward's beer when he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "would you like to dance?" I nodded and we walked to the dance floor.

As we got to the dance floor, he spun me around and took me in his arms. One arm wrapped tightly around my waist while the other held my hand to his chest. My free hand played with the hair on his neck. We swayed to the music for a few moments and the music changed to a Frank Sinatra tune. Edward pulled me close and sang in my ear.

_I've got you under my skin_

_I've got you deep in the heart of me_

_So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me_

_I've got you under my skin_

_I'd tried so not to give in_

_I said to myself this affair never will go so well_

_But why should I try to resist when baby I know so well_

_Baby, I've got you under my skin._

He led me around the dance floor and I closed my eyes to enjoy the moment. When he stopped singing I looked up at him and smiled and he leaned in to kiss me softly. When we broke apart, my eyes instinctively looked around and I noticed Edward's parents standing on the side of the dance floor with smiles on their faces.

"You're parents are watching us," I said quietly. He spun me around to the tempo of the band making me forget what I was worried about. I laughed suddenly feeling extremely happy. I sank into him following his lead. When the song ended, I curtsied and he laughed and kissed my hand. We walked off of the dance floor and Edward's mother grasped him into a tight hug. He let go of my hand and hugged his mother. Swaying with her to the music and allowing her the sentimental moment. Edward's father hugged me and kissed my cheek.

"Isabella, you look beautiful tonight," he said and I blushed.

"Thank you, this is all so lovely," I said honestly.

"Well, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. I don't think I've ever seen my son so happy. This is a nice change, to see him smiling and dancing," I tilted my head toward him with a smile.

"I've never been this happy. Edward is wonderful, I never thought any of this would happen to me," I replied while watching Edward laugh and talk with his mother. What is it that people say about watching how a man treats his mother?

"Good, let me introduce you to the family," I looked back at Edward who was still dancing with his mother. "Don't worry Isabella, I won't leave you for a second." I smiled with relief and Carlisle smiled back knowingly.

We walked around the room for what seemed like hours. I met uncles, aunts, cousins and close family friends. I mingled and small talked as was expected of me, keeping an eye out for Edward the entire time.

He finally saved me when dinner was served and I sat between him and Rosalie. Rosalie and I chatted about work and the fashion industry in general. She mentioned that she was interested in photography and I invited her to my studio.

Edward held my hand throughout dinner. He didn't speak much but he would squeeze my hand, reminding me he was there. Or he would run his fingers along the back of my neck. It was intimate and special and mine.

There were toasts and congratulations and welcome to the family. It was all very exhausting. I didn't know any of the people who spoke and I started drinking water after the fifth toast. After dessert, people started mingling again and I noticed the room was starting to clear out. I was looking around at all of the people who would now be considered family and with the exception of a few, I had no desire to know them. I frowned at this thought but truly, I only cared about knowing Edward and his family.

My arm was wrapped around Edward's waist as we walked and mingled. I said very little but smiled genuinely at everyone. I mostly watched Edward as he worked the room. He had a quiet confidence about him. He didn't speak much but he laughed and added pieces to the conversation. He never let go of me. He always had a hand on me – on my arm, linked fingers, on my waist. My stomach fluttered every time he ran his hand along the skin of my back.

"Bella," I heard my name called and I turned to find Edward's brother, Jasper, next to me. "Would you like to dance?" he asked and held a hand out to me. Not really a question. I looked at Edward and he was also looking at his brother, a private conversation between brothers. I took Jasper's hand, still looking at Edward. He smiled at me reassuringly and went back to his previous conversation.

Jasper pulled me into his arms and we swayed to the music. "So," he said simply.

I raised an eyebrow at him waiting for him to continue. I wasn't going to give in first.

"You and my brother seem happy."

"We are," I answered with a little bit of attitude.

Jasper laughed, "Wow, I can see why he loves you. You're feisty."

Love? Love. Does he love me, already? Is that possible? I looked over to where Edward stood and he was looking at me also. The butterflies in my stomach went crazy and his mouth moved into a crooked smile. He knew what he was doing to me.

"I'm not trying to be feisty. But I don't know you," I said turning back to Jasper. He was very much like his brother. His features strong and angled, his eyes green pools.

"You don't speak much, except to my brother. Why is that?" he asked.

"I trust him." It was an honest answer. I am not a trusting person and I don't let people in easily. But Edward, I can't keep him out.

Jasper nodded at my response. "I was suspicious of you. The way I came across you and my brother in the warehouse. I couldn't figure out if you knew more than you were supposed to," he looked directly in my eyes. I stared right back not changing my expression. "I can see that you care for each other. Before you, my brother had never taken a woman home to meet our parents. Ever. He keeps everything so private." He was quiet for a few moments clarifying his thoughts. "I still don't believe the story he gave me at the warehouse," his gaze holding mine, "but I can see that you are genuine, that you care for my brother so I won't push." He spun me around and pulled me back to him and whispered in my ear, "Don't make me regret this." Before I had a chance to react he kissed my cheek and I felt another hand on my waist. I closed my eyes, happy to feel Edward behind me.

"Thank you for the dance, little sister," he clapped Edward on the shoulder. "Ed, I'm taking off," he walked off the floor saying goodbyes and laughing as he went. He fascinated me. He obviously cared for his brother and was looking out for his best interest. He knew his brother lied to him and protected his secret anyway.

Edward swayed with me to the music. The crowd was changing a little bit. More people our age were on the dance floor. The music changed from live band to DJ as the restaurant was opened up to the public. The music was mellow, but seductive. A song with a sensual beat was playing over the speakers, couples were moving to the music around us. Edward moved his hands to my hips, his leg in between mine. We moved in sync staring into each other's eyes. I could feel the tightness in my stomach again and I could feel his arousal against my hip. I didn't look away from his eyes as I pushed myself closer to him, my arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him to me.

Our lips met, soft and seductive. I ran my tongue along his bottom lip and then pulled it into my mouth. Tasting him, showing him that I wanted him. His hands tightened on my waist and he pushed his tongue into my mouth and I couldn't help the moan that escaped. He was still moving us to the music and I was still pushing myself into him. Bodies surrounded us on the dance floor and I was incredibly turned on. I had never had this kind of reaction to a man and it was exciting and I wanted more. Edward started kissing me along my jaw and I closed my eyes. When he reached my ear he took the lobe into his mouth and sucked and I moaned at the feeling. "Edward," I whispered and felt him shiver.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered in my ear. I nodded and he took my hand, leading me off of the dance floor.

We walked off the dance floor quickly, weaving through bodies. My body was humming with energy. I felt so alive. We walked toward the table to say goodbye to the lingering guests. Emmett gave Edward a wry smile and I hugged Rosalie telling her to call whenever she wanted to stop by the studio. We said goodbye to his family and his parents who were also on their way out.

"We'll share the car," his mother said. I felt the entire night screech to a halt. I looked up at Edward who furrowed his brows and gripped my hand a little more tightly. He looked at me and I shrugged saying, 'it's not like we can tell them no, we want to make out in the car'. He nodded and said, "That sounds good. Isabella and I will head to the lobby and wait."

We walked to the elevator, hand in hand. There was another couple in the elevator when it arrived. We rode quietly to the lobby. Edward walked to the front desk asking them to call the car around and then we stepped toward a quiet corner. He pulled me into a hug and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't expect my parents to want to share a car with us." I laughed and leaned further into him.

"Yeah, well…" I lifted my head to look up at him, "I don't know what to say." I laughed.

"Can I come over to your place?" he asked quietly. I nodded and smiled at him. Just as I was about to speak, his parents appeared behind Edward and I sighed in frustration.

"Is the car here?" his mother asked. Edward closed his eyes and kissed my forehead.

"It should be outside." He took my hand and led me to the doors. The driver opened the door allowing us in. Edward and I sat on one side and his parents sat on the other. It was really an awkward ride with all of us just staring at each other. When I couldn't take it anymore, I started giggling and turned my face into Edward's side. He pulled me into him and I could hear him chuckling. Next thing you know his mother let out a loud guffaw, which set us all off. It was the weirdest thing ever. I felt like a horny teenager riding in a car with parents who knew exactly what we were thinking. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked up to see Esme wiping her tears away also. We all had the stupidest smiles on our faces. What a great way to end the night.

"Oh, Isabella," Esme said, "thank you for breaking the awkward tension."

"Anytime, I'm glad I'm not the only one that felt it." I looked at Edward who was smiling at me. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you all for a beautiful party."

"Of course, dear. So when are the two of you thinking about exchanging vows?" she asked.

"Well," I looked at Edward, "we haven't really discussed it but I would like to get married in the winter. I love the idea of a snowy background in my wedding photos."

"That sounds lovely. You'll be married by the church?" she asked with a pointed look letting me know that it was not really an option and I looked to Edward.

"I'd like to be married at St. Michael's," Edward said quietly. I smiled at him and turned to his parents.

"We should make an appointment," I said. "Do you think December is too soon? Its seven months from now." Esme looked ecstatic and Carlisle had an approving smile on his face as he looked at me.

"I think December will be wonderful, dear."

"I'll call on Monday and schedule an appointment. Is that okay?" I asked Edward.

He smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek. "Sounds good. I can't meet on Wednesday or Thursday but any other day is fine."

I felt excited at the prospect of a December wedding. Esme and I made plans to go dress shopping next week. It looks like the wedding planning has officially started. And oddly, it didn't make me feel uncomfortable.

We pulled up in front of my building and I smiled thinking that Edward and I would be alone in a few minutes. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, thank you so much for tonight. It was an amazing evening."

"Your welcome, dear." I hugged them and invited them to dinner next week. Edward said his goodbyes and exchanged a few words with his father and then we headed into the lobby.

"What did your father say to you?" I asked while we rode the elevator.

Edward laughed and said in a deeper voice, "Should we wait for you, son?" He laughed again, "It was a subtle hint that I shouldn't take advantage of you. I told him my car is here and I just wanted to walk my fiance to her door and say goodnight." He shook his head still grinning.

"Well, I'm glad he didn't say anything in front of me because I would have turned bright red," I said just as the elevator door opened.

"Really?" asked Edward as he wrapped an arm around my waist, "and why would you do that?" he whispered in my ear.

"Because I'm hoping there will be a little more than just a goodnight, " I said breathily.

When we reached my door, Edward spun me around and pushed me against it. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Definitely more than just a goodnight." And then he kissed me. It wasn't sweet or gentle but full of the urgency we were feeling in the restaurant. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. I wanted to feel all of him against me. Edward pulled away and ran a trail of kisses from my jaw down my neck. My hands dropped and I remembered we were in the hallway. I pulled my purse up and searched blindly for my keys. Edward pulled away from me with a smile. I smiled back and turned around to open the door.

Once we were inside I placed my bag and keys on the table and turned to Edward. I had no intention of having sex with him tonight, but I would be kidding if I didn't hope we would do other things. I walked over to him and slid his jacket off of his shoulders, placing it on the chair in the entryway. I slowly reached for his tie and pulled it off, placing it with his jacket. I slowly slipped my heels off and let them fall.

Edward leaned down to kiss me and then picked me up so that I was the same height as him. I wrapped my arms around his neck but let my legs dangle not confident enough to wrap my legs around him. He started walking but never broke our kiss. He led me to the red room with white couches and sat down with me straddling him. We continued to kiss until we were both out of breath and then he kissed a trail from my neck down to my exposed collarbones. The sensation was divine. I could feel the cool air hit when he moved to another spot and the sensation made me shiver.

"Bella," Edward said quietly as he pulled away from my collarbone. "I know you've never been with anyone intimately but have you done anything else?" He was looking at me with hooded eyes. I shook my head and hoped he wouldn't pull away from me. He looked into my eyes and said, "I don't want to push you to do more than your comfortable with."

I leaned in to kiss him and started to unbutton his shirt. "I don't want to have sex tonight but I want to feel you," I said breathily. "Is that okay?" I asked as a jolt of nerves hit me.

He kissed me hungrily and stood up guiding me toward the bedroom. He pulled away slightly and I slid his shirt off of his shoulders. I lifted the undershirt he had on and ran my hands along his stomach and chest and he pulled the shirt over his head. My hands were trembling at the sensation of my fingers against his skin. He was warm and solid. I lowered my hands and looked up at him as I undid his belt and the button on his pants. I've never seen a man undressed before and my nerves were starting to take over.

Edward sensed my hesitation and he ran his hands along my shoulders and down my back. I felt his hands move to my waist and up to the zipper on the side of my dress. He slid it down slowly never taking his eyes off of mine. He knelt in front of me and ran his hands along my calves to my thighs pulling my dress up with his movements. It was so slow and sensual, I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. It sounded so loud in the quiet room that I was almost embarrassed but the feeling left me quickly as I felt Edward's fingers on my waist, moving slowly up my sides, his thumbs grazing the side of my breasts. I shivered at the new sensation. I lifted my hands above my head and looked into his heavily lidded eyes. He pulled the garment over my head and let it drop to the floor. I watched him as his eyes traveled down my body taking in the white satin bra and panties. He ran his finger between my breasts and to my stomach and whispered, "beautiful."

His pants were still hanging off of his waist and I couldn't help but run my finger along the v that led down below. With a shaky breath, I looked up at him and pushed his pants down leaving him in his boxer briefs. I looked back down noticing how defined his body was. The toned arms and six pack. His legs were also toned and muscular. Breathtaking.

He picked me up and lifted me onto the bed and holding my hands above my head. He knelt in between my legs looking at my body again. Before I could feel self conscious, he leaned down placing his hands on either side of my head and kissed me. I closed my eyes and took in the sensation of his lips on mine. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and I opened up to him allowing to take control. I could feel the the excitement stirring in my stomach as his hands started to wander. He ran his hand between my breasts to my stomach and down to my thigh in a trail of fire. He pulled away from the kiss and I looked at him as he knelt back, his hands resting and massaging my thighs. He slowly moved his hands to the inside of my thighs and I tensed. I automatically wanted to close my legs but he was sitting between them.

"Relax, Bella," he said. "I want to make you feel good. Let me make you feel good." His hands began moving again and I willed myself to relax. I closed my eyes and took in the sensation of his hands on me. I listened to his breaths and mine as they filled the room. And then I felt his hand move along my thigh and close to my center. I opened my eyes to look at him as he repeated the action. On his final pass he ran one hand over the top of my underwear. I could feel myself getting wet with the proximity of his hands. He let his thumb trail along my pubic bone and finally over my mound. I closed my eyes as the intense feeling of his hands being there took my breath away. My mind was going crazy with fear and excitement of what he would do. He kept his hands on the outside of my underwear but he was exploring moving back and forth with a soft touch, allowing me to adjust to the sensation. And then I felt the most exquisite pulse rush through my body. I looked at him and his eyes were intense as he watched me.

"Do that again," I said and he did. I moaned at the sensation and closed my eyes. My fingers gripped the duvet as he started rubbing the area with a small circular motion that was making my body do weird things. The fire was building and I couldn't stop the whimpers that escaped from me. He pushed his thumb a little hard and my body jerked.

"It's okay, baby," he said into the quiet room, "Let your body feel what I'm doing to you." I relaxed onto the bed again and he sped up the circular motion and lifted my leg and began placing open-mouthed kisses to my knee and the inside of my thigh. Feeling his fingers and his mouth on me in such an intimate way sent another pulse through me and I gasped as my body convulsed pushing the spark through my body and filling my center with moisture. I couldn't speak or move when the sensation passed and I felt Edward hovering over me. I opened my eyes to look at him and he said, "That was beautiful."

I lifted my head and took his mouth in an urgent kiss, still feeling the high of what I'd just experienced. He rolled us so that I was straddling his stomach and I pulled away from his lips and started a slow trail along his neck moving to his chest wanting to make him feel good but not knowing how.

"I don't know what to do," I said.

"Keep doing that."

His voice was husky and his eyes were closed. I moved along his chest kissing and licking the smooth skin. I ran my tongue over his nipple and he moaned, "Bella." My confidence soared as I realized that he was enjoying this as much as I was. I moved along his chest to his stomach and licked between his muscles while I rubbed my nails along his side. As I moved down I could feel his erection pressing into my center. I lifted my hips as I kissed his stomach and ran my fingers along the waistband of his boxers. He lifted himself onto his elbows and I looked up at him. His eyes were dark with lust and curiosity at what I would do. I wanted to see him, all of him so I started moving his boxers down. I didn't take my eyes off of his until he lifted his hips helping remove his underwear. His cock sprang free and I pushed his boxers the rest of the way down, reaching behind me to remove them from his feet. I had never seen a man displayed in front of me this way and seeing Edward this way was fascinating and scary. I ran my hands up his thighs working up the courage to touch him. I ran a finger along his shaft and he hissed. I looked up worried that I had done something wrong but he shook his head and said, "It feels good. Don't stop."

I continued to explore and finally took him in my hand. "Show me what to do," I whispered to him. He sat up resting one arm behind him and covered my hand with his and began pumping. There was fluid seeping from the head and he moved my hand toward it and spread it as we moved. I had one hand on his waist as I watched our movements. He looked magnificent and he would grip my hand tighter every so often increasing the friction. I moved my free hand and ran it along the bottom of his shaft feeling his sac below. When I did that he yelled, "Bella!" and I looked up at him to see his face contort and then I felt the fluid on my hands and looked down to see his orgasm take over. He continued to pump a few more times and then let go of my hand and fell back. I sat there staring at him as I felt him soften in my hands. I looked up to see Edward watching me intently. I crawled up beside him and kissed his lips. I could feel his smile as I pulled away. I walked to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth. I soaked in warm water and walked back to the bed. I slowly and gently cleaned him up.

When I was done, I climbed up onto the bed and lay next to him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me on top of him. I kissed his chest and looked up at him and he kissed my lips.

"You are the sexiest woman I have ever been with. That was amazing," He said quietly.

I smiled at him and asked, "Really?"

"Yes, really." I took my bottom lip in between my teeth and then buried my head into his chest. He chuckled and asked, "Why are you embarrassed?" I laughed and said, "Not embarrassed, happy. I can't believe I did that."

He laughed and kissed the top of my head.

"Do you want to stay?" I asked quietly as I rested my head on my folded arms and looked up at him.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked.

I couldn't help the giggle I let out and said, "Yes, as long as you don't tell your parents." He let out a laugh that moved my body on top of his. He wrapped his arms around my back and said, "Okay, I think I can leave that out of dinner conversation." We kissed for a few minutes before we got up to get ready for bed. I walked into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Edward had put his boxers back on and followed me into the bathroom.

"There is a new toothbrush in that top drawer." I said as I dried my face. I walked out of the bathroom as he brushed his teeth and put on a nightgown. It was blue satin with spaghetti straps that fell to mid thigh. I was never happier for my unhealthy love of lingerie. Edward walked out and I could feel his eyes on me as I put lotion on my arms and legs. I felt him walk up behind me and I closed my eyes. He kissed the back of my neck and said, "so beautiful."

I turned my head to look up at him and he kissed me gently on the lips. It wasn't hungry or needy but filled with adoration. It made me think back to Jasper's words earlier, '_Wow, I can see why he loves you.'_ I smiled and said, "Thank you."

We climbed into bed and I cuddled into his side and kissed his chest, "Thank you for a wonderful day, Edward."

"Your welcome," he said quietly. We were quiet for a few minutes and I could feel my eyes starting to droop. "Bella?" he asked into the darkness.

"Hmmm?" I answered from the edge of sleep.

"Thank you for giving me a chance," I didn't answer but I tightened my arms around him showing him that I heard and then I drifted off into sleep.

~~ U ~~

On Sunday morning, I woke up early and decided to make Edward and I a big breakfast. I went all out with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. As I was finishing up the kitchen door swung open and Edward walked in just his boxers. He was rubbing his eyes as he walked toward me and I couldn't help but take in how perfect his body is.

"Stop checking me out," he said huskily and I giggled.

"Stop walking around in your underwear and I will," I answered him cheekily. He smiled and leaned down to kiss me gently.

"How long have you been awake and how many people are you feeding here?" He asked as he looked at all of the food I prepared.

"Be quiet. I wanted us to have a nice breakfast. It's our first breakfast together. I wanted it to be memorable," I said quietly realizing that maybe I was being a little too girly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you." He hugged me tightly and said, "Thank you, its perfect."

I huffed and looked up at him, "Typical male. Automatically saying what will make me happy." But I smiled letting him know I was teasing.

He smiled and squeezed me tightly, "Might as well start off on the right track."

I hit him and told him to take our plates to the dining room while I grabbed the carafe of coffee and orange juice. We ate quickly and talked about the engagement party.

"Baby, I have to go home and change but I'll be back to pick you up for church," he kissed my cheek. I nodded as I watched him put his pants and shirt on.

"Okay, I'll be ready."

"Thank you for breakfast," He said as he leaned in and kissed me. I couldn't help but wrap my hands around his neck and pull him closer. "Mmmhmmm…I have to go," he said as he started placing quick soft kisses on my face. "I'll be back in an hour."

I gave him a huge goofy smile as he walked out.

My new Sunday schedule was a routine I would need to adjust too. Sundays were my lazy days. I used to wake up late, drink coffee, read the paper and just lounge around. Whatever I wanted to do, I did. Now I had to be at church by ten and have lunch with the family until three or four in the afternoon. By the time I got home, I'd need to prepare for work the next day. Now that the engagement had been announced, I was afraid these lunches would last even longer.

Speaking of weddings, I was going to need a dress. I picked up my cell phone.

"Alice Whitlock." The speaker answered.

"Hello Alice, this is Isabella Swan," I answered not sure if she would be upset that I'm calling so early on Sunday morning. I was not prepared for the squeal that came from the other end. It made me laugh. "So I take it you've heard the news."

"Oh my God, Isabella! Congratulations! Yes, I heard the news and he is a fine piece of ass! I'm so glad you called me," I could hear her heels clicking in the background. "I'm just going into my office. So do you have a date? Any ideas on the style you are looking for? Classic white, ivory, antique lace, satin, pearls, diamonds? What are your thoughts?"

"Well," as I started to speak the buzzer rang and I opened the door to see Edward in a black suit that fit him perfectly. He smiled and kissed my cheek. I blushed wondering if he caught me checking him out. "I was hoping I could meet with you to discuss it. I have some pictures and sketches I've been working on. I was hoping you could help me define the image a bit."

"Of course, Isabella. I'm so excited. It's going to be beautiful! I can already see it. Have you set a date yet?" She asked.

"I want a December wedding," she squealed again and this time Edward heard her and started laughing. "Perfect, it's going to be perfect. Okay, why don't you stop by tomorrow afternoon and we'll get started. December is only seven months away. We have a lot of work to do."

"Okay, how about 3 o'clock tomorrow?" I asked.

"Perfect, I'll be at the loft tomorrow. I'll let Amy know your coming."

"Thank you, Alice. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye." She disconnected the call and I was inspired by Alice's excitement.

"Who were you talking to, baby?" Edward asked as I put my shoes on and went to grab my coat. I love that he calls me baby. "You look beautiful, by the way." And I was really starting to love all of the compliments. In a way I'm glad I closed myself off from everyone for so long because I'm glad Edward is the only man that has ever made me feel this way. He took my coat from me and I turned around so he could help me put it on.

"I called Alice Whitlock to see if she would design my wedding dress," I blushed realizing that I wasn't sure how he would react to this. I really shouldn't have worried because _he_ proposed to _me_, it's not like he doesn't know we're getting married.

"Really?" he asked. I turned to slowly to look at him. He was smiling. He looked genuinely happy that I had given him this piece of news.

"You're really sure you want to marry me? Because there is no turning back once the dress is designed." I said with a small smile.

"Absolutely. We are a couple brought together by unexpected events but I wouldn't change anything," he answered me with a serious face knowing that I was feeling nervous about moving forward. I gave him a small smile and kissed his lips gently. I locked up the apartment and we headed toward the elevators.


	6. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own them. _

_Edward_

Sunday lunch at my parents turned out to be a big wedding meeting. Bella and my mom cooked lunch together – and let me say I'm pretty fucking happy that Bella can cook because it would suck to have to sit through bad meals every night after we're married. My mother and Bella were discussing colors and venues and vows and veils and all kinds of other shit that I really don't care about. Really, I'd prefer just to show up. My dad laughed and I looked up at him and noticed everyone at the table looking at me.

"What?" I asked and took a bite of my pasta.

"Edward, I realize you don't care about the details but I hope you'll do more than just show up," Bella said quietly and I could tell her feelings were hurt.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I said that out loud. It's just that you guys have been talking about this all day and I'm kind of tired of hearing about it," I shrugged my shoulders. "I'll help with whatever you want I just don't want to talk about it all the time." I picked her hand up and kissed it. She shook her head and started eating again. Everyone at the table was really quiet. I looked up to see Jasper and my dad with stupid smirks on their faces and I couldn't help but start laughing. I can't believe I said that shit out loud. I picked up Bella's plate and switched it with mine so she could sit next to my mother. I stood up and helped her move over. I kissed her before she could ask what I was doing and said, "Okay, ladies carry on with the wedding talk." Jasper and my dad started laughing and we started talking about things other than the wedding.

When we left that afternoon, Bella was pretty quiet. I decided that I was going to take her over to my place for a little while. She had given me some of the photographs she'd taken and I needed her help arranging them. My apartment is a lot like Bella's except I have a lot of neutral colors. When I bought the apartment, my mom took over and decorated. I guess Bella and I should start looking for a place to buy together.

We pulled into the garage and headed toward the elevators. Bella still hadn't said much and I wasn't sure if I should ask her if she was okay. But I hoped she wasn't still pissed off about what happened at lunch. I really didn't want to go through another silent period with her.

"Bella, are you okay?" I asked as we waited for the elevator.

She gave me a small smile and nodded. "It's just…" she trailed off and looked at her feet.

"It's just what?" I asked tilting her head toward me. I could see she had tears in her eyes. "Is it because of lunch? I'm sorry about that."

Her tears finally fell over and she looked away from me. Fuck, she's still upset with me. The elevator opened and she wiped her face quickly as a couple stepped out.

I nodded at the couple walking out of the elevator and led Bella inside with my hand on her lower back. We were quiet as we made our way to my apartment.

Once we were inside Bella walked around taking everything in. My apartment had leather sofas, beige and green paint, low lighting, very different from the stark reds and whites in her place. She turned to me and smiled, "This is a really nice place Edward. It feels really comfortable, inviting." She walked over to the windows to take in the view of the city. She looked beautiful standing there in the fading sunlight.

I walked up behind her and put my hands on her hips. I leaned into her and asked, "What were you upset about earlier?" He body sagged and she leaned back resting all of her weight on me. I wrapped my hands around her trying to soothe her.

"I … " She paused and took a deep breath, "I miss my dad and …" she was quiet but I knew she was crying. I turned her around and wiped her tears away. She wrapped her hands around my waist and buried her face in my chest. I rubbed circles on the nape of her neck allowing her the time she needed. "He was supposed to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day," she said this so quietly and my heart broke for her. I led her over to the sofa and sat her on my lap. She tucked her head under my chin but kept one hand on my neck. I've never felt such an intimate connection with someone. I just wanted to make everything better.

"Baby, is there anyone from your hometown that you would want to do that? We can fly in whoever you want."

"I only have a handful of friends there. Peter, Charlotte, Angela and Ben. They are my best friends. The only people I kept in touch with when I left Washington." She sighed, "Well, I haven't been very good about keeping in touch with them."

"Have you called them? Maybe you should talk to them, let them know what's going on." She nodded.

"Talking with your mom about the wedding plans just brought everything to the surface." She frowned and looked up at me, "I'm also worried that my mom will interfere. Your family is well known and if she hears about it, I'm worried she'll cause problems."

"What happened with your mom, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, from what I understood, she cheated on my dad. They were high school sweethearts and she got pregnant right before graduation. My dad married her and I was born. They tried to make things work but my mom was always bitter about it. She was angry with my dad for making her stay in a small town, she was angry with me for being the cause of it. Things were always so tense in our house. My dad and I spent a lot of time together. He taught me how to fish, how to throw a baseball, we would spend hours in the bookstore pouring over all kinds of books. He also bought me my first camera. He and I would spend the day taking photographs. He even built a dark room in our basement so we could develop our pictures." She closed her eyes and smiled at the image in her head. "So when I was ten, they got into a big argument. My mom accused him of turning her only daughter against her and how he had trapped her in a town she hated. I didn't really understand then how she could feel trapped. My dad always gave her plenty of time to herself to do whatever she wanted. But she was just a bitter woman I guess. Anyhow, that day she told him she was leaving and she went upstairs and says '_Isabella, we are leaving. Pack your things so we can go.' _I of course, started crying and ran straight to my dad begging him to let me stay with him. He and my mom argued some more but she finally left and she's always felt like I betrayed her by choosing my dad over her. I was supposed to get summer visitation with her and I went once but she had a boyfriend and I ended up spending the two weeks in the house alone. My dad never made me go back and my mom never asked me to."

She was quiet for a while and I couldn't imagine how hard that must have been for her and her father. "It was hard to adjust to her not being there. My dad was pretty upset about it but he explained to me that my mother was just unhappy and neither of us were responsible for that and we would need to take care of each other. And that's what we did. He taught me how to cook and we each had chores around the house. We were a team. I had a good childhood despite my mother leaving."

"I can't imagine how hard that must have been," I said quietly.

"I'll call Peter tomorrow. My dad would be happy with that."

"Maybe we should fly there and visit them," I said. She sat up in my lap and looked at me. "What?"

"Really? You would go there with me to visit my friends?" She asked with a look of surprise on her face.

"Of course, I want to know them and I think it would be good to meet them before the wedding." I rubbed her arms. "If they are important to you, I want to know them."

She smiled at me, a stunning smile that took my breath away. "I haven't been back there since my dad passed away. I would love it if you came with me."

I smiled at her and kissed her. "Anything for you."

_Bella_

The next day, I was working in the studio when I noticed Rosalie and Esme walking toward the suite I was in. When I designed my workspace, I created several different suites that I used to photograph clients. There were four rooms total and the wall that faced the hallway was completely made of glass. It drowned out any noise that would distract the session but it also allowed people to see what was going on inside. I found that it was helpful for people to see the different ways a space can be used to create an image they will be happy with.

Esme and Rosalie were standing outside of the suite watching me work and I found that I was happy they chose to watch today. I was working on pregnancy photos for a young couple. The couple, Sandra and Riley, is pregnant with their first child. Sandra is now eight months pregnant and she wanted to make sure she had this documented for her baby book. She was absolutely glowing and I was excited to be able to photograph this special moment.

The room we were in was very soft, creamy walls with accents in brown and blue hues. There was a big oversized comfy chair and ottoman in one corner and I had floor pillows thrown all over. I pulled down one of the screens on the back wall to give the effect of a curtain behind them. Sandra brought in some of the baby's things and we spread those out around the room and had her hold onto something while she talked to Riley. The photos were really intimate. I caught them off guard quite a bit by pretending I was switching cameras or making an adjustment. They would talk quietly waiting for me and I would snap a shot. Riley tended to lay his hands on their baby quite a bit and I got a few pictures of just his hands on her belly.

I also got the posed shots that they asked for that were just as lovely. Their love and excitement came through with their every movement. It was the perfect session to end my day. It left me with a feeling of contentment and happiness for the family. I found myself hoping they will bring the baby in so I can meet him or her.

When we wrapped up the session, I took them over to the computer in the corner and showed them the shots I had taken. Sandra cried more than once and hugged me when we were done. They ordered a few photos and I gave them a disc with all of the session's photos explaining that they should call me if they decided to order more.

I found Esme and Rosalie sitting in my office talking quietly.

"Hello, ladies," I walked over and kissed them on the cheek. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh, Isabella!" Esme said and pulled me into another hug. I laughed and gave her a squeeze. "Honey, that was so beautiful. I couldn't help but wonder how you and Edward will be when you're expecting."

I am positive that I blushed tomato red because Rosalie started laughing.

"Um, Esme," I cleared my throat a little, "I think we have some time before that happens," I said shakily. Esme took a long look at me with narrowed eyes. I turned and walked toward my desk to shut down my computer and grab my bag. When I looked up again, Esme had a small smile on her face that made my ears get hot. Ugh, she knew. How awkward for my future mother in law to know my sexual status. I shook my head, "Okay ladies, let's go design a dress."

_~~U~~_

When we arrived at Alice's studio, she had sketches and fabric lying all over her worktables. Alice swooshed into the room like a tornado giving out hugs and kisses, handing out water, setting us in chairs and then finally spreading out all of the designs she had worked on. Honestly, I was a little exhausted just seeing how much she had done in the two minutes since she walked into the room. We are definitely in for an adventure here.

"Oh Isabella! I'm so excited. I have like ten drawings here for you and a ton of fabric. I'm not happy with any one of them in particular …" she paused frowning and looking intently at each one. "It seems like each one is missing something but I can't put my finger on it. And we can't really decide on fabric until you pick a design. So here you go." She placed each drawing in front of me and I could feel Esme and Rose behind me.

I looked at each one closely trying to picture myself in each gown. And I was happy that her drawings were very similar to the ideas I had come up with. I wanted a classic gown, something elegant and beautiful.

I could hear all of them talking behind me but I wasn't paying too much attention. One of the sketches caught my eye and I pulled it toward me. Alice stopped talking and sat in the chair next to me.

It was off the shoulder with long sleeves. The way it was drawn looked like it may have been designed with lace over satin and covered with intricate beading. Alice had two small swatches of material glued on the side. I ran my finger over the material as I continued to study the sketch. The material gathered just under the bust line and then fell in a smooth line with a train falling from behind. It was almost perfect.

"Alice, what if you opened it up here on the side and have the material sweep over and add the same beading from the top and lace edging on the bottom, on the exposed part."

She looked at it closely and smiled. She grabbed a sketchpad and started drawing. As she worked I walked over to the table that held the fabric and found a beautiful piece that was more of an antique satin than white and I fell in love with it. I held it next to my skin and smiled.

Esme walked over and took the material from me holding it along my collarbone. "It's lovey," I smiled and when she looked at me, she had tears in her eyes. And it hit me, this is really happening. I'm getting married. Esme is going to be my mother in law. I'm picking out a wedding dress. I sucked in a breath and Esme pulled me into a hug. "You make Edward so happy," she whispered. I hugged her a little tighter and closed my eyes.

Alice popped up at that moment and shoved the sketchpad into my face. She wrapped an arm around my waist and I leaned into her. With a woman on each side of me, and Rosalie standing just behind us we looked at the new design. When I looked over at Alice, she was smiling. "It's perfect!" I said in almost a whisper and I couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Absolutely perfect."

Alice squealed and kissed my cheek. "Ok, let's get your measurements. And some champagne!" We all laughed and I was sure I would never stop smiling again.

_~~U~~_

The flight to Washington was long. Edward was sitting next to me with his eyes closed. He held my hand the entire flight but we didn't speak. I had some wedding magazines that Esme and Alice had given me to help me make some decisions about the wedding. I had been flipping through the current magazine for the last hour but I don't remember anything I've looked at. I couldn't help but be nervous about going "home" after all this time.

Edward and I were staying at the Lodge for the next three days. I made plans to meet everyone tonight at the Steak House in the Lodge. I was nervous for Edward to meet my friends. And I was worried about what my friends would think of Edward. I've never been able to hide things from Peter and I am a little concerned that he will know about the Cullen's and give me a hard time about it.

Before I knew it, we were landing in Seattle and I was on the verge of a panic attack. I felt Edward shift and squeeze my hand.

"Bella," he said and I glanced at him and looked back toward the people exiting the plane. "Bella, you need to relax baby. Everything is going to be fine. You're working yourself up and your going to have an anxiety attack."

I simply nodded and stood up so we could get off of the plane. We checked our luggage because I hate fighting with the other passengers for carry-on space. Once we retrieved our bags from the carousel Edward led us to the rental desk.

Edward rented us an SUV and we were on our way to Forks. Edward was on the phone for the first part of our trip. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. I was using the time to keep myself calm and prepare for seeing my friends again after eight years. My God, it's been eight years since I've been home. I can't believe I've let so much time pass. And I'm more than a little ashamed that I've been so self-absorbed that I haven't paid more attention to the few people who care about me.

Edward held my hand over the console once he finished his calls. I still couldn't turn my brain off. I was worried about seeing my friends and seeing people that knew my father. I was worried about being in the town where my father lost his life. Everything is going to remind me of him and I'm worried I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. This is why I haven't been home in so long. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Just as I started calculating how hard it would be to get a flight back to Chicago, Edward broke into my thoughts.

"Baby, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Ugh! He's being so nice to me and I am being such a basket case.

I looked over at him and he lifted my hand and kissed the tips of my fingers. "I'm worried." I said as I shifted in my seat to face him. "Peter can always tell when I'm keeping secrets or lying and I'm worried about what he'll think of us. And I'm worried about being in the town where everything will remind me of my father," I let out a long breath.

"Everything will be okay, Bella. You can't plan everything out. Just be happy to see your friends and when you see something that reminds you of your dad just try to think of a happy memory with him." He squeezed my hand and I looked up at him, "It's good to remember him, he would want you to remember the happy times."

I got a little teary and smiled. He was absolutely right. I've spent too much time being sad.

We pulled up to the Lodge and there was a group of people standing outside the entrance. I didn't really pay attention to them but I checked my hair and make up in the mirror while I waited for Edward to open my door. When the door opened I took his hand and accepted his kiss while he helped me out of the car. I straightened my dress, took a deep breath and walked with Edward to the back of the car to get our luggage.

"Excuse me, Miss, can I help you with those?" I frowned and looked up at the person who approached us. He had a silly grin on his face and looked like he was seconds away from laughing.

I smiled and flipped my hair, "No thank you, I wouldn't want anything stolen between here and the door." I looked up at Edward who had a surprised look on his face. No doubt worried that I'd offended the man who'd offered his help. Then everyone started laughing and my friends yelled, "Bella!"

I laughed and jumped into my best friends arms. "Hey, Baby Bell. I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too, Petey," I squeezed him and he put me down. I said hello to Charlotte and Angela all of us talking at the same time and hugging. Then I heard, "Okay, let me say hello to the one that got away."

Everyone turned toward the voice and I said "Ugh! Ben, I know you are still in love with me but it's a little rude to say that in front of your wife." Ben laughed and hugged me.

"Bella, babe… that was supposed to be our little secret." He kissed my cheek and let me go.

"Oops!" I laughed. I turned around and walked over to Edward. I kissed his cheek and took his hand leading him over to everyone. "Edward, these are my best friends. Best friends, this is my Edward." I looked back up at him and he had a huge smile on his face. He looked over at everyone and started shaking hands and saying hello. Charlotte got a little enthusiastic and pulled him into a hug.

"Char, baby, please don't attack other men while we're together. You know it makes me jealous," Peter said trying to look put out but the grin on his face defeated the act.

"I'm sorry, honey, but look at him," she said while still holding onto Edward. "Peter, Ben, grab the bags." She ordered them and led Edward into the lobby while wrapping an arm around his waist. She turned to look at me and mouthed 'WOW' as they passed me. I couldn't help but laugh and Edward looked at me with raised eyebrows. I just shrugged and smiled.

"Bella," Peter said quietly, "it's so good to see you. You stayed away for too long." He pulled me into another hug and I absorbed all the love and warmth he had to give me. "You look beautiful."

"It's good to be here. I didn't realize how much I missed everyone until I saw you guys." Peter nodded and kissed my forehead.

"Let's get inside before Charlotte starts molesting your fiance." I laughed and closed the car. Ben and Peter made jokes as we walked into the lobby. Edward was checking us in and turned when we walked in. He flashed me a smile that said, 'See? Nothing to worry about.' I walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. The lady at the desk looked up as I approached and her eyes went wide. She looked familiar but I couldn't quite place her.

"Isabella?" I smiled and said hello. "You don't remember me, do you?" I looked up at Edward and shook my head. "I'm Jessica, Jessica Stanley."

I tried to keep the smile on my face but it faltered just a bit, "Hi Jessica, nice to see you." It wasn't really, she was always so mean to me in school. That's probably why I blocked her out. Well, that and she looks completely different than we did in high school. She is still thin but her hair is long and curly and red. Like fire engine red.

"Wow, you look great. Chicago really agrees with you," she said then looked at Edward and blushed. I rolled my eyes and Edward laughed.

"Will someone be able to take our bags to our room? We have reservations for dinner." Edward flashed her a smile that left her stunned for a second. I giggled and leaned further into Edward. He definitely knew how to get things done.

She stuttered a little and finally said, "Yes, of course. We will have it taken care of. Here is your room key and the room is to the left," she pointed in the direction we should go, "and the restaurant…" she looked up and saw everyone staring at her. She blushed and said, "Oh, well I guess you'll be able to find it. Enjoy your stay, Mr. Cullen."

"Thank you," he turned to me and gave me a sweet kiss. I flashed a huge smile and then turned to Jessica, "Bye, Jessica. Nice to see you again."

"You too, Isabella," she responded quietly. I am so glad I decided to dress up today.

Angela and Charlotte started laughing as soon as I turned around. They grabbed my hands and pulled me to them and we were gossiping like we did back in high school. The guys were quiet behind us as we walked into the restaurant. It was a very rustic, steak and potatoes kind of place. My dad loved coming here. I smiled a little at the memory, taking Edward's advice.

The host asked if he could help us when we walked in and Peter answered. "Hey man, we have a reservation for Anderson."

"Hey Pete," he glanced at everyone and did a double take when he saw me. "Isabella?"

"Hi Tyler," I answered amazed that he looked exactly like he did in high school..

"Wow, Isabella you look amazing," and he was eyeing me just like he did in high school. Then I felt warm hands on my hips and Tyler's attention turned to the man behind me. His eyes went wide and he cleared his throat, "uhm, this way please."

I could hear Ben and Peter snickering behind us. I looked behind me to see Edward and he winked at me but kept the serious look on his face. Even so, he looked amused by the whole situation. He leaned in and said, "Does everyone know you as Isabella here?"

"Yes, only my dad and close friends called me Bella." He nodded and held my chair out for me.

_Edward_

Bella's friends are hilarious. It's been a long time since I've been able to sit back and relax and laugh with friends. She hasn't stopped smiling since we've arrived and she looks beautiful. I haven't been able to take my eyes off of her. I've never seen her like this before, so carefree, animated and happy, genuinely happy. Her mood is rubbing off on me because I can't seem to keep the smile off of my face either.

"So, _Ed_, how did you and Bella meet?" Angela asked. I smirked at my new nickname but I could already see that her friends were protective of her. And I couldn't help but be glad that someone is watching out for her.

I squeezed Bella's hand and smiled, "Well, I own a few warehouses and office buildings in Chicago. Bella called to reserve a space for a photo shoot and I happened to see her in my office on the afternoon she signed all of the contracts. I introduced myself and I haven't stopped thinking about her since." I looked over at Bella and she had a small smile on her face. She turned to her friends abruptly.

"Yes, so we had been dating for a little while and we were at his office. I was _working,"_ she said with raised eyebrows and the girls laughed, "on some images I had taken earlier in the day and his brother walked in. We had the music on my laptop turned up and didn't even hear him open the door. So, there we are in a very friendly position and his brother looks at us with a raised eyebrow and says, 'how long has this been going on?' Next thing I know I'm at his parents house for dinner and engaged by the end of the night." She turned back to me and smiled, "It's been amazing."

I leaned in and kissed her. When I pull away she has tears in her eyes. She smiles and turns to her friends who all have smiles on their faces. We slipped into easy conversation getting to know each other and I have to admit that her friends are great. I don't understand why she stayed away for so long.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I leaned over to Bella, "I have to take this call, I'll be right back. Order a steak for me, please. Medium rare." I kissed her behind her ear and felt her shiver. I smiled and excused myself from the table answering the phone as I walked away.

"Yeah."

"Hey, find a land line and call this number," my brother gave me a phone number and disconnected. Shit, this can't be good.

I see a pay phone outside of the lodge and walk over pulling change out of my pocket. He answers the phone on the first ring.

"We got the background checks on her parents. Her dad was clean but it turns out her mom is playing for the wrong side these days. She's back in the homeland now with one of the brothers. Sounds like she's the one from the story. She is the only daughter born to Saul. Her family helped her get away and moved her to that little town. So she married, had a kid, and when they caught up with her, she left." What the hell?

"What about the daughter? Do they know about her?" My blood was starting to boil. These assholes had another thing coming if they think I am going to let her go. Fuck that.

"Don't know. We didn't find more than that. But dad thinks that they might try to go after her because the family's debt wasn't settled as agreed."

"Fuck." I can't believe this shit. "Alright, is there anything I need to do?"

"Nah. We'll have to figure something out when you get back. In case they're looking for her."

"Okay, can you do me a favor and make sure all of the security systems at her studio and apartment are changed out? I don't want to take any chances if someone is already looking for her."

"Yeah, I can do that. Oh," Jasper said quickly. "There was a name, Peter …" he paused but I could hear him shuffling things around, "Andrini. I'm not sure how he ties in to this but his name came up in the background on the mom."

I looked around and noticed Peter walking toward me. "I think I might know who that is. I'll give you a call later." I hung up and stood in the booth for a few minutes going through the all of the possibilities in my head. I sensed movement to my right and turned my head. I don't know what expression was on my face but Peter's eyes widened and he stopped walking. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the booth.

"Are you alright, man?" Peter asked furrowing his brows. I looked at him for a few minutes and shook my head.

"No, not really." I continued staring at him while he composed himself and I saw his resolve. He walked toward me again and lowered his voice.

"Look, I know who you are and who your family is. We may live in a small Podunk town but we aren't stupid." I raised an eyebrow at him but didn't speak. "Does Bella know who you are?"

"Yes."

"Is this relationship real?"

"Yes."

"Is she in trouble?" I continued to stare at him. I pulled my cigarettes out of my jacket and lit one up, offering him one. I could see the slight shake of his hands as he took one out and lit it. We stood there for a few minutes and I took a long look at him. I wondered what was making him more nervous, me finding out who he is or the possibility of me killing him.

"Yes." His shoulders sagged at the news.

"Because of you? Did you cause this?" I raised an eyebrow at him and laughed bitterly.

"I think we both know that this isn't because of me. How much do you care about your friend, Peter Anderson? Or is it Andrini?" He stiffened and then took a deep breath.

"Fuck," he said under his breath. He loosened his shoulders and nodded. "She is my family, I would do anything for her." I nodded and took a long pull on my cigarette. I didn't take my eyes off of him but he didn't fidget or get shifty.

"What are your instincts telling you to do here?" I asked him. His answer would determine how much I allow him to step in here.

"To take her and run," he shook his head. "But at the same time, I know she's safe with you. I don't know how I know this but I do. And it goes against every natural instinct I have."

"How much do you know about her mother?" I asked. His head shot up and he looked me in the eye.

"Fuck," he said. "Enough to know that if she is back in the picture there is going to be trouble."

I nodded, "We need to get back inside before they start wondering where we are. We need to talk about this but I need to speak with Bella first." I dropped my cigarette and squashed it under my foot. "She's going to be pissed at you. You know that?" He looked deep in thought but nodded. He took one last drag on his cigarette and tossed it.

We headed back inside to finish dinner. Before we walked in he said, "We've been protecting her all this time. You know that, don't you? We only wanted to protect her from all of this shit. Her involvement with you is what brought attention to her."

I held the door open and gave him a hard look. He shook his head and we walked into the restaurant. As we approached the table, I smiled and sat next to Bella, kissing her on the cheek. "Sorry, baby. I didn't mean to take so long. It was Jasper."

"It's okay. We just ordered. I ordered you a glass of wine, I wasn't sure what you wanted."

"Wine is good," I smiled at her.

After dinner we said good-bye to her friends with plans to meet for lunch the next day. I stopped Peter as he was walking out, "Let's meet for coffee? Around 7?"

"Yeah. Diner across the street." I nodded and walked away. Who knew that coming here was going to lead us to the source of all the information we needed.

_A/N: Just wanted to send a quick thank you to everyone for all of the reviews and alerts. I appreciate them more than you know and I'm ecstatic that you are enjoying the story so far._


	7. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: They aren't mine.**_

_Bella_

"It was so good to see everyone," I said as I walked out of the bathroom. I was wearing my favorite pajamas, a pink silk chemise. Edward looked up at me as I walked into the room. His eyes raking over me as I walked toward him. I love how he looks at me. He makes me feel desirable and sexy. He was sitting on the edge of the bed when I approached him. He ran his hands along my thighs and pulled me closer to him. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead on his. His hands were a little rough, callused but they felt so good on my skin.

"Your friends are great," he said quietly.

"I didn't realize how much I missed them until tonight. I closed myself off after my dad died. I just blocked everything out." I shifted a little so I could look at him.

He kissed my stomach, "I loved watching you with them tonight." He said, his hands resting just under my ass, his fingers playing with the edge of my underwear.

"Mmmm… you did?" I whispered trying hard to concentrate on what he was saying.

"Yes, you looked so happy. I've not heard you laugh like that since I've known you."

I moved my hands across his shoulders as he slid his hands up my body and pushed the straps of my nightgown over my shoulders exposing the top of my breasts, "You're so beautiful." He ran his lips lightly across my collarbone and in between my breasts. Edward and I had not been intimate since the engagement party but I loved the way his hands on me felt. Every time he touched me my whole body tingled with anticipation. And his kisses always left me wanting more.

I squeezed his shoulders and moaned at the sensation. "Edward…" I looked at him and I could see the desire and the conflict in his eyes. I frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath and placed his hands on my hips. "I want you. So much. But I know you aren't ready and I'm worried I'll get carried away. I don't want to push you." He rested his forehead against my chest and closed his eyes.

"Edward, you're right. I'm not ready to have sex but there are other things we can do," he looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. "I meant what I said about opening myself up to you. I want to know you, all of you, and I want you to know me. You already know that I've never been with a man before," I laughed. "You gave me my first orgasm, for Christ's sake."

He smiled and pulled me closer wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm in this, 100%. I want to experience everything with you. I know we can be great together." I whispered.

He reached up and took my face in his hands, "I knew it the first time I saw you." I leaned in and kissed him. He responded immediately, deepening the kiss and I felt like I was unraveling. I'm falling in love with this man.

E

As Bella and I lay in bed that night, I couldn't turn my brain off. Everything from the night kept running through like a movie. Dinner with Bella's friends, my phone call with Jasper, my conversation with Peter, Bella in her pink nightie, it all kept flowing on repeat. I resolved that I would talk to Bella in the morning. She needed to know what was going on. And we need to be on the same page to deal with all of this. I looked down at her sleeping form. Her hair was splayed across the pillow and her cheeks were flushed. She is so beautiful.

It is still amazing to me that this woman came into my life. I don't understand where the instinct to protect her came from because if she were anyone else, she would have been dead. That could have caused problems as well because of the nature of her business, her clients would have started looking for her. Not enough of a problem that we couldn't have taken care of it but feeling the way I do about her now, the idea makes me sick.

I look at the clock, 2 AM. I kiss her forehead and close my eyes trying to let the day go.

A buzzing on my left wakes me up. I tighten my hold on Bella and open my eyes. The red light on my phone is blinking. I open the message, _Call club._ I rub my face and look at the clock. 5:30, fuck. I carefully move away from Bella and pick up the room phone and dialed moving over to the window.

"Yeah?"

"So we've been watching her place, someone we know showed up looking for her."

"Who?"

"Big guy, blue eyes, Italian."

"Fuck," I answered.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Make sure the alarm systems in her apartment and her shop are intact. Install cameras so we can see who goes in and out. And run checks on all of the employees. Let C know what's going on."

We disconnected and I stood at the window looking out into the forest. I don't know how long I stood there before I heard her get up and walk over to me. She ran her hands along my back before wrapping them around my waist.

"Are you okay?" she said quietly.

"I need to discuss some things with you," I pulled her around to face me and wrapped my arms around her.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" she said starting to panic. I leaned in and kissed her. Moving my hands to wrap around her neck to angle her face toward mine. I rested my forehead against hers. "How much do you remember about your mom?" I asked her quietly. She tried to pull away from me but I didn't let her go.

"Just what I told you. I spent most of my time with my dad. My mom and I were never close," she looked away from me frowning.

"Bella," I said and tilting her face back toward mine.

She closed her eyes, refusing to look at me. "She's done something, hasn't she? I knew this would happen. She ruins everything."

I took her face in my hands hoping she would look at me but she kept her eyes closed, "Bella, look at me."

As soon as she opened her eyes the tears fell. I wiped them away with my thumbs and kissed her forehead. "Baby, your mom has been in some trouble for a long time. Not all of it is her fault. And yes, it might involve you."

"What is it?" I led her over to the bed sitting her on my lap. She adjusted herself and wrapped her legs around me placing both of her hands on my neck. She was holding on to me like she thought I might disappear.

"I'm not going anywhere, baby," I said to her kissing her lightly on the lips. "It doesn't matter what happens, I'm here and I will keep you safe. Okay?" She nodded.

"The night we met, remember I mentioned that I had my attorney run a background check on you?" She nodded. "I didn't know you and I needed to know who I had just invited into my family. My father would have expected that I had the foresight to check you out before inviting you into our home. Luckily, you are a cop's kid and there was nothing to worry about. Your parent's names were on the sheet and my father had a more extensive check run on your family. Your mother's family name, Buccieri, is a name that has come up recently," I paused taking in her expression. She was biting her lip and frowning. "There was a story about Saul Buccieri getting into some trouble with one of the families and making some kind of agreement to protect his family."

I didn't say anything more. I wanted her to absorb what I said and let her ask questions. I needed to know if she understood what was implied and I'm curious to find out how she will react. On a personal level it kills me to test her this way but on a more professional level, I need to know how my wife, my partner, will react in these types of situations. I need to know that I can count on her to keep her head.

She stood and went to the window wrapping her arms around herself again. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees waiting for her. I didn't remove my eyes from her as she stood like a statue staring out at the forest.

"What was the agreement?" She asked quietly. I didn't answer, willing her to look at me. She turned and I could see the tears running down her face. I could also see the anger she contained just under the surface.

"Well, that's just it. No one really knows what this agreement entailed, but the story is that Saul, your grandfather, offended the Aro family somehow and in order to correct his offense a daughter born to Saul was _promised_ to the Aro family." I tried to find the right words to continue but there isn't an easy way to say it. I frowned, "but Jasper told me last night that your mother was the only daughter born to Saul and when she became of age, her family moved her here, to Washington, to hide her." I paused and looked her in the eye, "And Jasper said that she is in Italy now."

Bella gasped, covering her mouth. She started to step forward but lost her balance. I jumped up and grabbed her before she hit the floor and carried her back to the bed with me. "We don't know if it's true."

"What does this mean for me?" She cried, "Edward, I won't leave you. Do I have to leave you?" Her voice broke.

"Bella," I said quietly, "Baby, look at me," I said louder but it was as if she was in her own world. "Bella!" I yelled losing my patience with her. She sat up straight and looked at me, her eyes wide. "You aren't going anywhere. You are not leaving me. This, you and me, we are a done deal. I don't give a fuck what anyone else says. Do you understand me?" I asked. Her eyes were still wide but she nodded. "You are mine. I just found you and I will not let you go." I looked into her eyes to make sure that she understood everything that I was saying. When I her eyes cleared, I grabbed her face and kissed her. This kiss was needy and possessive. And God help me if I didn't want to rip her clothes off and take her in that moment. I wanted to prove to her and everyone else that she was mine.

She pulled at my hair and I trailed kisses down her neck. "Edward," she moaned and it brought me back to my senses. I didn't want to take her like this, not her first time. I rested my head on her chest and caught my breath. Her hands were playing with my hair and it soothed me, calmed me down from the frantic state I was in. I kissed her collarbone and looked at her.

"Jasper is working on getting more details but if someone is looking for you, things are going to get messy. I asked Jasper to have new security systems and cameras placed in your office and your apartment in case they have been tampered with," I maintained eye contact with her willing her to stay calm. "When we get back to Chicago we'll know more." She nodded and rested her head on my shoulder. I gripped her a little tighter in my arms hoping I was helping her feel more secure. We were quiet for a while as I waited for her to process everything. I looked at the clock and it was 6:15.

"There's one more thing," I said. I felt her nod but she did move from my shoulder. "Peter knows."

She moved back just enough to look at me and asked sharply, "What do you mean Peter knows? Knows what? About my mother?"

I nodded, "The name Peter Andrini was in the background check. Jasper didn't have any other information on him and wasn't sure how he tied into this."

"Andrini," she said quietly. "Peter Anderson." She looked at me for confirmation and I nodded. She closed her eyes and silent tears trailed down her face.

"I'm meeting him this morning to find out what is going on," I said quietly. "Do you want to come along?"

"We should go to their house to talk to them. I'll call Charlotte." Bella said quietly and started to move away from me. I gripped her thighs stopping her movements.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. She looked into my eyes and took a deep breath. She took my face into her hands and rubbed her thumbs along my cheeks. I didn't break eye contact with her. I could feel her breath on my face.

"I trust you," she said and kissed me. She took my bottom lip into her mouth and sucked gently before moving her lips. I pulled her tighter against me as the kiss deepened. We pulled apart to catch our breath and I continued kissing her jaw, her neck and her collarbone. "I trust you," she said again and ran her fingers through my hair. I opened my eyes to look at her and the look on her face made me stop my movements.

"Edward," she said quietly her hands still in my hair. She leaned in and kissed me softly her eyes on mine. Her hands moved from my hair, to my shoulders and down my arms. She pulled away from me and pulled her nightgown over her head. I moved my hands slowly following the line of her body. Moving upward from her thighs to her waist and stopping at her breasts taking them in my hands and massaging them. Bella's head fell back and she hissed through her teeth. I leaned in and took one of her nipples into my mouth. She moaned as I swirled my tongue around the peak. I moved across her chest to take the other nipple into my mouth while my hands moved along her back. My fingers passed over her softly. "Edward," she moaned again.

I moved my fingers to her center,"What is it, baby?" I asked her, my voice just barely a whisper.

"That feels so good," she said. "Please," she moaned quietly before kissing me. "I want to feel you," she said against my lips. "Let me feel you."

I dipped my fingers slightly into her following the path of her slit. She was already wet for me and I couldn't help the moan that I released. "Baby," I flipped her over so that she was lying beneath me. I sat back on my heels and took in the beautiful woman lying before me. "La mia bellezza," I said quietly.

She sat up and kneeled in front of me taking my face in her hands. "Edward, tesoro mio," she whispered, "I want to be yours. I want to belong to you completely so no one else can try to claim me. And I want you to belong to me."

I figured this was just a reaction to the conversation we'd had this morning and I was about to pull away but as I looked into her eyes I saw nothing but truth and fear and hope.

"I'm yours," I answered simply and kissed her. "And you," I said against her lips, "will always be mine." Her grip tightened in my hair and I pulled her closer to me. I kissed her and moved my hands down her body covering every inch of her. She arched her back when I reached her warmth. I wrapped one hand behind her neck and moved the other within her. The anticipation of what was happening was taking me over. I wanted to be gentle with her but she was so fucking sexy and her moans were pushing me to my limits. I laid her back onto the bed and removed my pajama pants. Her eyes took me in and I realized that I was nervous. I moved over her and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes, I'm sure."

I leaned in and kissed her and moved her legs further apart with my knees. "Relax, baby." She took in a deep breath and let out a shaky breath.

I moved against her slowly not quite entering her but letting her get used to the feel of me. I couldn't help the excitement that moved through me. I kissed her and pulled away to look at her. Her eyes were wide and I could see that she was nervous. I rolled over and sat against the headboard pulling toward me. She was on her knees in front of me and my eyes trailed her beautiful body. My hands were on her hips and I rubbed small circles over hip bones with my thumbs. "I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled and ran her hands along my neck, across my shoulders and down my arms. She linked her fingers with mine and moved forward placing our hands above my head. I used my fingertips to grip the opening in the headboard. She looked down at us and moved slightly above me taking just a little of me into her. I could feel how slick she was and I closed my eyes in anticipation.

_Bella_

I felt the tip of him at my entrance and I looked up at him. His eyes were closed and there was a small smile on his face. The sensation of him was overwhelming and I was so nervous. I pushed a little more feeling him fill me slowly. The sensation was overwhelming. It wasn't painful but I could feel how thick he was as I stretched around him. My instinct was to tense at the intrusion but I couldn't ignore the magnificent feeling of his body next to mine, his skin on my skin. I looked at where we connected and pushed further against him. I let go of his hands and held onto his shoulders. The nerves in my stomach were making me shaky and I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep going. I was scared to move but I when I looked up, Edward's eyes were looking into mine. His eyes were so clear. He wasn't pushing or moving or urging me to hurry, he was waiting for me to decide.

I leaned in to kiss him wrapping my fingers in his hair and I held him to me as I moved up and pushed down quickly. It stung and my eyes popped opened. He was looking at me with an expression I wasn't familiar with but it made me feel safe and warm and alive. After a moment, I started moving not taking my eyes off of his. I could feel his fingers gripping my hips and I could feel him moving beneath me, shifting his hips into mine. I swirled my hips above him and felt a tingle inside me. So I did it again and bit my lip as Edward groaned. We moved this way for a moment before I kissed him resting my hands on the headboard behind him as his hands moved to my ass, grinding me against him and the friction was amazing. I could feel myself tightening in anticipation. I was so close. "I'm so close," I said into his mouth.

He moaned and shifted his hips up going deeper inside me hitting a spot that made me tingle everywhere. I gasped, "again." He repeated the movement and I closed my eyes and threw my head back enjoying the new sensation. I pulled away from him and leaned back a little resting a hand on his thigh, still moving above him. I watched as he moved in and out of me mesmerized by our connection. We are connected now. He's mine and I'm his.

He shifted us and laid me back onto the bed. One of his hands ran up the back of my leg pushing it toward my chest and I wrapped my other leg around his waist. He was pushing and grinding into me hitting just the right spots. I started seeing spots and I could feel the tightness in my stomach. "Bella," he moaned. I looked up at him and his eyes were focused on me.

"I'm yours now," I said quietly. He moved against me once more and I felt him twitch inside me. He closed his eyes and pressed his thumb to my clit roughly causing me to scream out as my orgasm washed over me. I was completely overwhelmed. Feeling me tighten around him, Edward moved twice more and came, my name falling in a whisper from his lips.

After a few moments, he rested his forehead on my chest. I ran my hands along his back stopping when I was able to tangle my fingers in his hair and I smiled. He was breathing hard and we were sweaty but I felt like I was floating. Every part of my body tingled with pleasure. It felt amazing. Finally, after all this time I had experienced something beautiful with someone - No, not someone, with Edward. The way he let me lead and the way he took over at the end. And he felt amazing inside of me. I felt his hand on my cheek and I opened my eyes to see him. He looked beautiful. Completely flushed, his hair in complete chaos and his smile bright enough to light the entire room. He leaned in and kissed me softly. And I couldn't stop from smiling against his lips.

We were looking at one another with silly grins on our faces when the phone rang. I jumped and Edward groaned.

"Hello," he said into the phone. "Yeah." He hung up and leaned into me again. "Peter's downstairs waiting for us. We're late." He leaned in and kissed me slowly. And I savored the feeling of his lips against mine.

"Let's go shower." he said as he pulled away. He wrapped my legs around him and carried me into the bathroom kissing me the whole way.

_~~ U ~~_

_Edward_

Bella is amazing. I have no other words for her. This morning did not turn out the way I thought it would. When I told her about her family this morning, I was expecting her to shut down. I fully expected that she would shut me out and close in on herself. But she came back to me and told me that she trusts me. She told me that she wanted to be mine. And that she wanted me to belong to her. Sexiest fucking words that have ever been spoken. Little does she know she already owns me. The more I get to know her, the more happy I am that she is in my life. Before meeting her, I never really thought about marriage and kids but with Bella I can see it all. And the fact that she gave herself to me this morning, I have no words. She was nervous and beautiful. And it was probably the best experience of my life. I can't wait to experience with her again.

When we finally made it to the lobby, I turned my focus onto finding out what Peter knew. I will do whatever is necessary to protect Bella. Someone is already looking for her and I'll be damned if I am going to let anyone, including Peter, hurt her.

I could feel Bella fidgeting next to me. I know she's upset that Peter had kept things from her. If it were me, I would consider it the ultimate betrayal. But that is the world I live in.

We walked toward Peter and Charlotte and Bella's grip tightened on my hand. I lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. The four of us stood in a sort of standoff in front of each other. I wanted to laugh. I could hear the whistle from the old western movies in my head. I shook my head and looked at Bella. She had a slight frown on her face but otherwise looked very impassive.

"Will we be able to talk at the diner?" I nodded my head toward the restaurant across the street, "or should we go somewhere else?"

"I think we should go somewhere more private," Bella said quietly.

I looked back over at Peter and he nodded. I looked at Charlotte and her eyes were puffy and red, like she had been crying. I looked to the side and noticed the restaurant inside the lodge was empty.

"Why don't we just go in here and talk?" I didn't wait for a response. I guided Bella toward the entrance and we sat at a booth in the farthest corner. The waitress came over to take our drink and food orders and walked away. As we waited for her to come back, my patience got the better of me and I placed my hands flat on the table.

"Okay, start from the beginning," I said trying to stay calm.

Peter looked at Bella who's posture was rigid but a mask of indifference covered her face. He leaned onto the table and took his head into his hands.

"I only came to know about all of this recently. Over the past couple of years." He turned to Bella, "please understand, Bella, my father was sick and we weren't sure what was going to happen. My father was in the hospital and I stayed with him that first night because everything was so touch and go. When everyone went home for the night and the nurses had finished their rounds my father pulled me close to him and quietly told me the story about Saul and the Aro family."

He stopped talking when the waitress returned with our food. I picked up my fork and waved at him to continue.

He picked up his fork and moved his food around on his plate. Bella and Charlotte hadn't moved. I leaned over and fed Bella a bite of my omelet. She took it and gave me a small smile. I moved back toward my food and noticed that Peter was watching us. I raised my eyebrows letting him know that he should continue. He put his fork down and ran his hands through his hair.

"My grandfather, Marcus, is your uncle," he said to Bella. "He's Saul's older brother. Saul started working for the Aro's when he was a kid. My grandfather said he was always fascinated with the lifestyle and connections the Aro's had. So when he became of age he went to Antonio Aro and asked for a job. Apparently, Antonio was friends with Vincenzo, our great grandfather, and Antonio tried to talk Saul out of working for him. He knew Vincenzo would have been upset if his son chose that lifestyle. In the end though, Antonio put Saul to work. Saul moved his way up the ranks, and as his position grew so did his ego. He felt like he could get away with anything. He ended up marrying a woman named Alina and he was good to her for a few years. But when they started having kids, Saul started to stray. He was discrete for awhile but he was drinking and using and it made him careless."

Our waitress walked up to check on us and we ordered more drinks.

"Do you mind if I go smoke?" Peter asked but didn't wait for an answer. He leaned in and kissed Charlotte's cheek. "I'll be right back." He walked outside and I could see him from the window.

I looked back over at Charlotte and she moved out of the booth and went toward the bathrooms. I sat back and put my hand on the back of the bench turning my attention back to Peter. Bella leaned into me and I wrapped my arm around her. "How are you holding up, baby?"

She buried her face in my chest but didn't speak. I didn't really expect her to. She has to be on information overload and it's going to take her some time to work through it all. So I just held her and ran my hand up and down her arm while keeping an eye on Peter outside. Not really sure why I felt the need to keep him in my line of sight. My instincts were in overdrive and I found myself aware of how many people were around us, where all of the exits were and how many cars were in the parking lot. Peter tossed his cigarette and walked back inside but Charlotte hadn't come out of the bathroom yet.

"Baby, can you go check on Charlotte?"

Bella nodded, stood and walked toward the bathroom. I kept my eyes on her even as I felt Peter approaching. When Bella opened the door, I saw Charlotte sitting on the floor crying. I threw my arm out and grabbed Peter, "What the fuck is going on?" I said in a low voice through gritted teeth. I was in his face now and my hands were fisted in his shirt.

"They came to my house! They came into my home and threatened my family! They threatened my wife!" he spat at me. "They wanted Bella and I knew that she would be here this weekend so I told them she was in Chicago. I called my grandfather as soon as they left. He'll probably be in Chicago by the time you get back." I loosened my hold on him but I wanted to fucking kill him for telling them where Bella was. His posture sagged and he said, "she's pregnant. I can't let anything happen to her. I'll do whatever I have to do to keep her and the baby safe." I pushed him away from me. I could understand his sentiment because I would do the same for Bella but that fact didn't calm me down. He may have moved his family out of immediate danger but he's an idiot if he thinks anyone is going to leave him alone now.

I looked around and noticed we had gained an audience. I took out my wallet and threw some cash on the table. "Go get your wife and meet me in the lobby."

I walked outside, my mind already working through details. He fucking sent them straight to Bella. The first thing we need to do is get back to Chicago. And I need to talk to my father and Jasper. I pulled out my phone and dialed.

"yeah?"

"It's me," I said quickly, "we're coming back tonight and we'll have a couple of people with us." I waited for him to respond.

"Alright, call me when you have the flight details and I'll pick you up," Jasper said quietly.

I hung up and looked around the parking lot wanting to fucking punch something or beat the shit out of someone. I looked in the lobby and saw Peter holding Charlotte. My anger grew as I watched him. Bella would probably get pissed off at me if I fucked up her cousin. Asshole.

~~U~~

I went back inside and we headed toward our room. Bella quickly started packing as I called and found a private plane to take us back to Chicago. Luckily, someone had cancelled a flight at the last minute and we were going to be able to leave in a couple of hours from Port Angeles. I relayed that we would have four passengers and provided my company card for the charge.

"Four?" Bella asked.

I turned to her and covered the phone. "Peter and Charlotte are coming with us," I said as I walked through the room making sure we hadn't missed anything. I hung up and looked at Bella, "are we ready?"

"We can't just go to Chicago. We have jobs, commitments here."

I took a deep breath and looked over at Peter, "Look Peter, I get that you have lived this nice little life where you didn't have to worry about anything except what you were having for dinner. But those days are over. They know where you live. They know who you are. Do you really think they won't come back? Do you really think they'll just forget about you? Did you even stop to think about how pissed off they would be whey they found out she isn't in Chicago but here visiting you?" I could see by the change in his posture that he hadn't considered that they would come back.

I lowered my voice and let out a deep breath, "Look man, I get it okay, I do. But you opened the door here. If you want your family to be safe, you'll come with us. If not, then you can stay here and take your chances. Either way, Bella is my priority and we are leaving. She isn't safe here anymore."

No one moved or spoke while Peter stood frozen in front of me trying to figure out what to do. He finally nodded and we finished packing and went to check out of our room.

As I was checking out, I heard Bella on the phone. I could just make out that she was making apologies. I turned to her and she mouthed, "Angela." I nodded and turned back to the clerk.

"How was your stay, Mr. Cullen?" the woman asked.

I smiled, "It was great, thank you."

We headed outside and I opened the car door for Bella and then put our bags in the back. I turned to Peter who was standing outside of his car.

"Do you need to get anything from your house or can we go straight to the airport from here?"

"Follow us to our house and we'll grab a few things and leave our car there," Peter said before jumping into his car.

I nodded. Once inside of the car, I took Bella's hand and followed Peter out of the parking lot.

~~u~~

A/N: I'm sorry for the long delay between chapters but I've been fighting with this one. I hope you all like it. =)

rr244


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

~~Bella~~

The plane ride home was quiet, very quiet. Edward lifted the armrest and held my hand but kept quiet most of the time. Probably because we weren't alone. He would occasionally raise my hand and kiss the fingers that were wrapped around his or kiss my temple, but not much else. It allowed me entirely too much time to think. And trust me there was a lot of information going through my head. First of all, Peter is my cousin. I had a cousin who had acted like my best friend all of this time. I wonder if he'd always known or if he was kept in the dark just like I was.

And I can't help but wonder if my father knew about all of this. I can't help but think that if Charlie knew he would have moved us far away from Washington using all of his contacts to get us new names and whatever else people do who don't want to be found. I know he would have done that, he would have protected me with his life. I miss him so much.

It's so hard to wrap my mind around this whole situation. A month ago, I was invisible to the world. No one knew me, no one bothered me and no one ever sought me out. Until Edward. When I met Edward, it was like a new universe opened up to me. And now, I have new friends and soon to be in-laws and crazy people looking for me. I find out my crazy, out of control grandfather made deals that affect my future. And I have uncles that I don't know trying to keep me safe. It is just too much to believe.

But the one person who has been a constant so far is Edward. None of this has caused him to run from me. Well, I guess he can't really run since he is kind of the reason everyone knows who I am now, but that isn't the point. I mean, couldn't he have just left me to fend for myself? I'm sure most guys in his line of 'business' wouldn't have given two shits about me. They would have handed me over to the other family and gotten the hell out of Dodge. But not Edward. He's here, holding my hand, kissing my lips, and caring for me.

I smile and turn to the beautiful man next to me. His eyes are already focused on me. He is looking at me with clear eyes that say 'we are in this together', it's clear on his face. Always together, facing it head on.

His eyes move, following his finger as he traces the line of my face, the curve of my neck and then moving along my collarbone. I feel my face flush but I don't take my eyes off of his face. I'm watching every emotion and when his eyes meet mine again, his fingers move quickly and his hand is at the nape of my neck. I'm suddenly thrown back to this morning. His lips, his hands, his body moving against mine. I close my eyes and imagine his fingers tracing the line of my body.

I'm on an airplane with other people.

I am on an airplane with other people.

But then I feel Edward's fingers in my hair and my whole body shivers. How am I supposed to control myself when he's touching me this way? And then his lips are on mine, warm and soft and urgent. I can't stop myself from moving closer to him. He pulls me into his lap, his fingers holding me tightly and his hands burn my skin. I've never been happier for private airplanes and nice roomy seats.

I move my fingers into his hair and lightly scratch his scalp. He moans my name and the sound snaps me out of my Edward haze. I smile against his lips as he continues to place small kisses to my lips, the corners of my mouth, my cheeks and finally my nose. His fingers are rubbing small circles on my hips and I wiggle against him a little bit and he groans, "Bella..." dragging my name out in a husky, breathless voice.

I laugh quietly, "Yes, baby?"

He just shakes his head and smiles, rubbing his nose against my cheek. Moving toward my ear, he sucks my earlobe into his mouth and I let out a tiny gasp, "you'll pay for that later," he says.

I giggle. "I look forward to it."

Edward laughs out loud and smacks a kiss on my lips. I move from his lap and straighten my clothes. Edward smooths my hair out for me by running his fingers through it. I close my eyes and hum. I never knew that a man running his hands through my hair would feel so good.

"We're almost home," Edward says quietly. I smile at him and nod.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" I ask. Apparently, I've gotten over all of my shyness because I don't even feel my face flush.

Edward gives me a bright smile. "I was planning on it."

"Good." I look over to see Peter and Charlotte across from us. "Where will Peter and Charlotte stay? I have the extra room.." I trail off not really sure I want them to stay with me. The man I once considered my big brother had kept a huge secret from me. A life altering secret. If Edward hadn't suspected him the other night, I wonder if Peter ever would have said anything. I'm not sure how we'll get over this but it feels weird to have him sitting across the aisle from me and not speak to him.

I noticed Peter stiffen in his seat but he didn't turn to look at us. And suddenly I realized that he would have heard Edward and I making out earlier. Ah, there's the blush I know and love. Edward ran his thumb along my cheek and laughed apparently figuring out what I had been thinking.

"I was thinking they could stay at my place. And I can stay with you?" Edward said quietly.

I nodded my answer smiling at the thought of Edward staying with me in my home, in my space, in my bed. Ugh, there's that blush again. Focus, Bella.

"Peter," I leaned into Edward as I spoke, "Are you and Charlotte okay with that?"

Peter looked back in my direction but I made sure my face showed no emotion. His eyes looked so sad and he seems to have aged 10 years since yesterday.

"Peter, Edward's building is really safe. Maybe your grandfather can stay with you also, you guys can catch up or whatever," I said awkwardly reminding myself of the secret he kept from me.

Peter just nodded his agreement and turned back toward Charlotte.

Oh my, I forgot Charlotte was pregnant. Edward told me on our drive over to Peter's. Suddenly, I didn't care that I was mad at Peter. I needed to make sure my friend, my sister was okay. "Oh my God, Charlotte are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you need something to eat?" I jumped out of my seat and sat in the seat facing Charlotte. Her eyes were red and puffy and she had fresh tears running down her face.

She started to sob and I pushed Peter out of the way and held her in my arms. "Don't cry, honey, everything will be okay. Shhh.." I said as I rocked with her.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know anything until the night we met for dinner. Peter told me everything when we got home. I don't know what to say but I feel like I've betrayed you somehow by not knowing sooner. And then Peter told me that people had come to our house and threatened him, us. I've just been a nervous wreck and I'm so worried about the baby. This has been such a horrible day." She collapsed into my arms crying.

I looked at Peter who had tears running down his face. I reached out and held his hand. "We'll figure this out," I said and turned to Edward. "Together we will find a way to make everything okay and when the baby gets here he will be healthy and happy and loved. You'll see. Everything will work out. I can feel it."

As I said this, I could feel the truth of it in my bones. With Charlotte in my arms, my right hand holding Peter's and my eyes on Edward, I knew that this was just a bump in the road. Our lives were just beginning and I'll be damned if some asshole who thinks he's entitled to something is going to ruin it. I squeezed Peter's hand pulling him over to take my place with Charlotte. When I stood, he pulled me into a tight hug that said he was sorry and he loved me. I hugged him tightly letting him know we'd talk later. We'd fix this later.

I smiled at Edward and the words 'I love you' wanted to burst from my mouth. I could feel them filling every cell in my body. I pulled away from Peter kissing him on the cheek and made my way to Edward. I took his hand as he stood and he led me toward the back of the plane to a small lounge area. He pulled me into his arms and swayed back and forth with me for a moment as if he needed a moment to get ahold of himself.

My body felt like it was going to explode if I didn't speak to him, if I didn't tell him the words that were running through my mind over and over again. But could I really say that so soon? We have only known each other for a little while, how can I be sure that this is love? But even as I ask myself the question, I know the answer. I am in love with Edward and I think he loves me too. Just the thought makes my whole body tingle.

After a moment, he pulled back just enough to look at me. I smiled and he leaned in and place a small, sweet kiss on my lips. I moved my hands to his cheeks, keeping his lips just a whisper away from mine.

"Edward," I sighed against his lips.

I didn't move. I kept my hands on his cheeks and my eyes on his. I don't know if he feels the same way I do but now that I know that I'm in love with him, everything seems so clear. The color of his eyes and the bronze of his hair, he's amazing and beautiful and mine.

"Bella," he sighed and kissed me. He pulled away and looked at me and then kissed me again. One arm wrapped all the way around me pulling me into him. "Bella," he said and leaned his forehead against mine. "Bella mia," he whispered against my lips.

I smiled and peppered his face with kisses. Apparently, epiphanies make me act like a giddy schoolgirl. But I couldn't help it. The happiness was just flowing out of me and there was no way to contain it.

Edward laughed at me, completely unaware of the thoughts running through my head, and then picked me up in his arms so our faces were even. I let my legs dangle and tightened my arms around him. The smile on his face told me he was just as happy as me at the moment. And the kiss we shared was the best kiss of my life.

_Edward_

I watched Bella go to Charlotte and take her into her arms. Comforting her and reassuring her that she and her baby would be okay. I turned my attention to Peter who looked at his wife and best friend with such a broken look on his face. He didn't even try to stop the flow of tears. I could see how much he loved them, it was surrounding him. I could also see how scared he was that he wouldn't be able to protect them. That his decisions could put his entire family in harm's way.

I have never understood that feeling before. The weight of the responsibility for taking care of someone, for protecting someone, for loving someone. But as I watched the scene play out in front of me, I understood. I would do anything for Bella. I would do anything to keep her safe regardless of the consequences. The feeling was heavy in my chest and I rubbed my hand against it absently.

I looked back toward Bella as she reached out and took Peter's hand. I heard her speak but I didn't actually hear what she said. All I could focus on was her eyes. Brown eyes full of love, protection, and determination looking directly into mine. She said we were in this together. My chest tightened at her words. 'Together, we would figure everything out together'. I am going to marry this woman, have a home with her, maybe have some children with her. The reality of our situation was settling in the middle of my chest forcing me to see what was in front of me.

She was so full of love. I could see it in the way she took care of Charlotte. She was so angry and hurt by Peter, yet she was holding his hand and reassuring him that everything would be okay. That they would be okay. She may have closed herself off from the world for awhile, but her heart was full and strong. And I don't think I've ever seen a woman more beautiful than she is right in this moment.

She walked over to me and I stood, reaching for her hand. I led her toward the back of the plane. I just had an overwhelming urge to hold her close to me, to kiss her. But I couldn't process all of the thoughts going through my head. It was like that word that is on the tip of your tongue but you just can't put it together.

I pulled Bella into my arms and swayed with her, held her to me and my world suddenly felt right. I pulled away from her just enough to see her face and when she smiled, a rush of happiness and contentment ran through me. I leaned in and kissed her softly. She placed her hands on either side of my face and whispered my name against my lips. And the word, my name, was filled with such passion.

I choked out her name, and kissed her. Repeating this over and over trying to get ahold of myself. I have never felt such emotion before and if I'm being honest, it scares me. The idea of this woman owning me, heart and soul, is exciting and fucking scary all at the same time.

I finally look into her eyes and say what I'm thinking,"Bella, mia."Because she is mine and I have no intention of letting her go.

Bella giggles and starts placing small kisses all over my face. I have no idea what made her so happy, but I laugh and pick her up so that our faces are even. She has the most beautiful smile on her face and her cheeks are flushed and she's perfect.

Our kiss is full of passion and fire and my chest tightens at how right it feels. I lean my forehead against hers to catch my breath. I can feel her fingers in my hair and I close my eyes enjoying the moment.

I hear footsteps approaching us. I pull away from my girl and kiss her one more time. Just as I place her back on her feet the flight attendant clears her throat.

"Mr. Cullen, we'll be starting our descent in about ten minutes. Would you and Mrs. Cullen please have a seat and buckle the safety belt for landing?"

I look down at Bella and she has an eyebrow raised but her smile is happy. "Of course, Mrs. Cullen and I will be right over."

The woman nodded and smiled before walking away. Bella fell against my chest and I could feel her shaking with laughter.

"Let's go Mrs. Cullen," I said with a smile.

"I love how that sounds," Bella said in a breathy voice.

I leaned into her and kissed her neck, "Mrs. Cullen," I whispered feeling her shiver around me. I smiled, happy that I had that affect on her.

She tilted her head to kiss my lips and then nipped at my jaw with her teeth before whispering, "You'll pay for that later."

I laughed, she was using my words from earlier. "I'm counting on it," I replied and pulled her toward our seats.

~~u~~

"When we land," I look over at Bella, "Jasper is going to meet us and he'll take you, Peter and Charlotte to my parents house. I'm going to follow you with Emmett."

Bella nodded, "Okay. Do you," she paused, "do you think someone will be there waiting for us?"

I rolled my shoulders and closed my eyes. I felt her small hand on the back of my neck trying to ease my tension. "I don't know, Bella. But I don't want to take any chances. Peter," I turned my attention to him, "Stay close to Charlotte. My brother, Jasper, will be meeting us as soon as we step off of the plane. You, Charlotte and Bella will be riding with him. Do whatever he says. I don't know what or if anything will happen but we need to be prepared." He nodded and I narrowed my eyes. I'm still fucking pissed that he sent those fucking people to Chicago to look for Bella. Asshole. Bella may have a huge and forgiving heart but I do not. I can hold a grudge for a long ass time and this is definitely going to be one of those times.

We finally landed and I kissed Bella before helping her stand. "Stay close to Jasper. I don't care what happens, do not leave his side." I raised an eyebrow at her, "Okay?"

"Okay."

We got out of the plane and walked down the steps to the tarmac. Emmett was already grabbing the luggage from the cart and putting it in the car. Jasper walked up to us quickly and gave me a quick hug whispering, "Someone followed us."

I nodded and he took Bella from me, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "Isabella, nice flight sweetheart?"

She looked surprised at the endearment but smiled and nodded. He leaned in to kiss her temple and I could see he was whispering instructions to her. She wrapped an arm around his waist tucking herself into his side.

Emmett and I finished with the luggage and then ushered Peter and Charlotte into Jasper's car. He brought the Mercedes with the tinted, bullet proof windows. I closed my eyes, I hope we can get to the house with no problems.

Emmett was driving a sleek black SUV with windows that were tinted completely black. "Can this thing move?" I asked looking it over.

Emmett smirked and got into the car. I looked over the car again and then I took in my surroundings. I didn't see any other cars on or near the airplane. But I know they are here. My skin is fucking tingling with anticipation.

I could feel the adrenaline moving through my system. Emmett nodded his head to the glove box and I opened it finding two police issued Sig's.

"Where the fuck did you get these?"I asked as I looked them over.

"You don't want to fucking know," he said easily. "But, let's just say I had some fun acquiring them."

I shook my head. I'm not in the frame of mind to enjoy his story tonight. I checked to make sure they were loaded and ready. Emmett followed Jasper off of the tarmac and I kept my eyes moving looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Once Jasper hit the main road, he took off. He gunned the gas and Emmett was right behind him. We heard tires screech and I looked to my right to see a black Lincoln Continental coming at us.

I rolled my window down and aimed at the passenger. His eyes opened in surprise and I took advantage of the split second emotion and shot at the front tire. I blew it out and the car swerved, crashing into a car parked on the street. We were moving fast through the streets. Jasper was making erratic turns, almost going in a circle at one point. We ended up on Highway 14. The problem we have now is that my parents live in a community where there are a lot of two lane roads. So we need to make sure no one is following us before we actually head in that direction.

The highway was not too busy but it only had two lanes on each side so we were maneuvering through the traffic as quickly as we could, no doubt looking like we were racing. I could see a car coming up fast behind us. There weren't flashing lights, so I'm guessing its one of the assholes following us from the airport. We were still weaving in and out of traffic. Jasper slowed down and mixed himself into the other cars on the road. There was another black Mercedes right beside him. As they slowed down, Emmett slammed on his breaks causing the SUV to swerve into the other lane which led to a chain reaction of cars swerving and moving on the highway. We heard a few bumps from the accidents that followed but I could see that the sedan following us was stuck in between some cars. While we were causing the commotion on the highway, Jasper slipped onto the off ramp unnoticed. Emmett looked around satisfied with his handy work and put the car into drive. He drove past three more exits before getting off of the highway and making his way back to Barrington Hills.

We didn't see any other cars follow us off of the highway so we were pretty confident there were only two cars following us from the airport. I called Jasper after a few minutes and they were almost at my parents house. He said they had no problems after they got off of the highway except that Bella and Charlotte were a little car sick. I could hear Peter laughing and Bella telling him to shut up.

When we pulled up to my parents house about 15 minutes later, I was surprised by the amount of cars in the drive. I saw the Mercedes Jasper was driving was parked at an angle blocking the rest of the drive. Emmett parked the same way as Jasper blocking the other side of the driveway. No one was leaving until we knew what the hell was going on.

Emmett and I made our way to the house. I looked around the property to make sure no one was lurking around. My parents property was expansive. But the two acres that surrounded the house was all lawn. There were no trees or bushes that a person could hide behind. My mother had a small garden that surrounded the house but my father was adamant that he be able to look out of the windows to see a clear view of the property. Unfortunately, it is a necessity with our lifestyle.

We walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell before opening the door. Paul, one of our guys, was standing in the hallway and turned toward us when we walked in.

"Hey Paulie," Emmett said with a smile, "how's it hanging?"

"Fuck you, Emmett," Paul answered and Emmett and I laughed.

"Come on man, we didn't know that chick was gonna knee you in the junk for hitting on her."

"Yeah, whatever. Edward your dad is in his office. He wants you in there."

I immediately straightened up. "Thanks."

I walked to the office and knocked. "Come in."

I walked in and scanned the room for faces. My father was leaning against the front of his desk, Bella and Jasper were sitting in the chairs to the side of him. Peter and Charlotte were sitting on the leather sofa in the middle of the room and there were two other people I didn't know.

"Son," I walked over to my dad and shook his hand. He took my face in his hands and kissed both of my cheeks. "Go sit next to your fiance."

I nodded and went to sit on the other side of Bella. I looked at Jasper with a raised eyebrow but he made no movement other than to look at me and back at the people on the other side of the room. As I sat down, Jasper released his hold on Bella and rested his elbows on his knees. He was completely focused. He's going to be a great boss when my father steps down.

"Edward, I'd like you to meet Marcus and Saul Buccieri. Bella's uncles." I frowned, uncles?

Marcus and Saul stood, as did I and we shook hands. When Saul took my hand he said, "Saul, Jr. My father passed away a long time ago."

"I'm sorry for your loss," I responded automatically.

"Edward, does Charlotte need to be here? I can have your mother come for her," my father asked.

"I don't think she needs to be here," Peter turned his head quickly to look at me.

"Edward," Bella said quietly, "I'll go with Charlotte, if that's okay?" She looked at me and then to Jasper and my father.

My father gave a quick nod and I stood to walk Bella to the door. "Stay inside the house. I'll come find you when we're done."

She nodded and squeezed my hand before walking out with Charlotte following behind her.

I closed the door and turned back to the room. I leaned against the door with my arms across my chest waiting for my father to start.

"Alright, who wants to start?"

Jasper had moved to stand next to my father. His face was unreadable and was my father's. They looked like brothers standing next to each other. The similarities between them were uncanny. Across from me was Peter who looked completely panicked. He kept adjusting in his seat and looking from one person to another. I wanted to tell him to calm the fuck down but it would have been inappropriate and my father would not appreciate the interruption. I finally looked at the two men sitting across from my father. Marcus was an older man, probably in his seventies. He looked tired and disappointed. He sat forward and looked at his nephew who nodded and sat back in his seat.

Marcus began to speak with a heavy Italian accent. "My brother was not a bad person, he just didn't think. He acted on impulse, spoke with out thinking over his words. It tended to get him in trouble a lot when we were kids but ended up getting him killed as an adult." He sighed and stood up. As he began speaking again, he paced and used his hands. He was much like my grandfather when he was talking to us. "My brother was never happy with what he had. He always wanted more. One night he was out drinking and I believe he was using drugs and there was a young girl at the club." Marcus sat back down and rested his hands on his knees.

"He took advantage of the girl, not knowing who she was or why she was there. The girl was spoken for by the youngest of Carlo Aro's sons. Antonio Aro had already stepped down and Alec, his eldest son, was in charge. Salvatore, Carlo's son, wanted blood. He wanted to murder Saul for his actions so he went to Alec for permission. Alec was pissed that Saul had put him in the middle of his problems but he wasn't prepared to kill him. Saul was a problem but he made the family a lot of money with whatever he did. So Alec scheduled a meeting with all of the made guys, including Salvatore and Saul. It was decided that because Saul took the virtue of a young, attached woman, he would be required to give up a daughter. She would become betrothed, for lack of a better word, to one of the men in the Aro family. Saul would have no say over it. When the girl turned sixteen she was to be told of what happened and why. Of course, Saul tried to fight the decision but it was too late. He had made his bed so to speak.

"At that point Saul had 5 sons, no daughters. He figured he could just stop having kids and that would be the end of it. But he learned that the debt would be transferred to his sons if failed to meet the demands. Saul had one more son and then a daughter, Renee, two years later. Everyone knew of the debt and what her birth meant. Saul had sunk so low by that point that know one knew how to talk to him anymore. He confessed everything to me the year Renee turned 16. He and his wife, Alina, took Renee to Italy as her gift and they stayed with Dida and me. When I heard what Saul had done, I beat the shit out of him. I was so angry at the disrespect he had shown his wife and family. Then we made the decision to hide Renee away." At this, Marcus hung his head and rubbed his eyes. "We thought, if we hid her away she would not be subjected to that kind of life. Not too mention, if everyone in the Aro family knew of why she was betrothed, we would have no recourse if she was beaten and abused. So we moved her to Washington. My brother, Domenico, was already living there. He and his wife had children and we thought it would be good for Renee to be around family that could look out for her.

"Things were going well until someone found her. Luckily, they went to the home and she was alone. Isabella had gone away for the day with her father. The man that found Renee threatened her and she ended up leaving Charles and Isabella shortly after. No one knew where Renee was for a long time but she turned up in Italy about six months ago with Angelo Anello, the son of Carlo's daughter Anna. It's been 16 years..." he drifted off in thought. "I don't know how they found out about Isabella."

The room was silent when he was done. I looked to my father and he understood I had a question and he nodded. "How did Saul die?" I asked Marcus.

"He was murdered in his home. When Renee suddenly disappeared, the Aro's figured he had hidden her from them. They beat him trying to get the information from him and when he didn't tell them, they shot him in the head and left him in his home for his family to find him."

Well, that was quite the message. I'm surprised it took so long for them to find Renee. I certainly wouldn't think they would just let her sit for ten years. "Was Renee's named changed when she was moved to Washington?" I asked absently while I was processing the story.

I looked over at Marcus who was eyeing me cautiously, "Yes, we used Domenico's wife's maiden name, Oliva. We figured the name would not draw too much attention." I nodded and walked across the room, occupying the chair Jasper was sitting in earlier.

"Well, it seems Isabella is the target now. She and Edward are to be married in December and I want this settled before that time comes. Does anyone have any suggestions?" My father walked around his desk and sat in his leather chair. Jasper took the seat next to me and looked at each of us quickly before he made eye contact with me. I'm not sure what he was looking for but his back straightened and my father looked at him.

"I think I have an idea."

My father nodded at him to continue.

"Edward and Bella continue planning the wedding but make plans to go to Italy to visit our grandfather before the wedding takes place to obtain a blessing from the family, as a respectful gesture," he paused and my father wave his hand to continue. "While they are there, we seek out Antonio Aro and ask for a meeting."

My father sat quietly twirling a pen in his hand. He sat forward and looked in our direction. "It could work."

Marcus agreed, "Yes, Antonio would see it as a sign of respect that you go to him in order to avoid a dispute between families. And your Isabella will be safe amongst family."

My Isabella.

"Okay, when do we plan this trip and am I to assume we keep it quiet until we are actually there?" I asked my father.

"The trip needs to be soon, within the next week. We need the element of surprise and I don't want to allow the Aro's to get a hold of Isabella while she's here in the city," my father stood and paced the room as he did when his mind was working. "Jasper, assign Paul to Isabella. He is to be with her at all times. She should keep her schedule as such," he counted each item off on his fingers, "working at her studio, lunches with Edward, dinner with us. Edward, I assume you will be staying with her in the evenings?"

I nodded, "Peter and Charlotte are going to stay in my apartment while they are here," I looked over at Marcus and Saul, "you are also welcome to stay there. There is more than enough room for all of you and the building is secured."

Marcus nodded his thanks.

"Okay, Edward you need to fill Isabella in on all of this. I don't want her to be surprised by anything that happens. Give her only details that pertain to her family and the situation she is in. Everything else will be given on a need to know basis." My father continued walking around the room and then looked at Marcus.

"Are you planning to stay here for awhile? We can all fly to Italy at the same time. I think it will be easier that way. If we are being watched," my father looked at Jasper and I and we both nodded, "it will be safer for all of you as well. We will have a driver available to you so you can get around the city."

"Yes, we would like to stay and I'd like to get to know my niece a little bit," Marcus turned his attention toward me and I looked at him, then Saul and lastly Peter.

"Of course," I said quietly unable to be disrespectful to the old man. He seemed like an alright person but I didn't trust Peter or Saul with Bella.

My father continued to move around the room planning everything out. He was meticulous when he put a plan in motion and things always worked out flawlessly. It was a trait Jasper and I tried to emulate.

"Marcus, Saul thank you for coming here and providing us this information. I will have a car drive you to Edward's apartment for the night. Peter, you and Charlotte should join them." My father dismissed them swiftly and then turned to me, "Does Emmett have a key to your apartment?"

"Yes, he can get them settled." He nodded and we all shook hands with the men before they left. My father told Emmett to take them into the city and stay with them tonight.

Emmett nodded and fist bumped Jasper and me before leaving.

"Okay, let's get something to eat and we'll get started." It's gonna be a long fucking night.

~~U~~

_Bella_

The week has passed by so quickly. It's already Thursday and the whole week has been about preparing for our trip to Italy. Edward and Jasper have been constantly busy with planning and the work they normally do for their father.

Edward filled me in on the meeting with Marcus and Saul and to say I was saddened by it is an understatement. Saul made choices that affected his entire family in as negative way. And it looks like my mother may not have walked out on Charlie and I for personal reasons after all. I wonder if I'll get the chance to ask her myself.

I was getting ready to go to lunch when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Bella, baby, it's me." Edward said into the phone. I could hear noise in the background and it sounded like someone was yelling.

"Edward, are you okay?" I asked worried about where he might be. I heard Edward yell and tell people to shut up and then it was quiet.

"Sorry, it's a fucking madhouse here. I'm not going to be able to meet you for lunch today but I will be there to pick you up after work."

"Okay, that's fine. I was just getting ready to grab something." I felt a little disappointed that he wasn't going to meet me but I would see him soon. "I'll call Paul to have lunch with me today."

Edward made a noise, "Yeah, tell him to keep his hands to himself."

I laughed, "Edward, are you still upset about the other night? I tripped and Paul caught me before I broke my leg. He wasn't trying to feel me up."

"The fuck he wasn't. I see how men look at you Bella, everyone wants to feel you up."

"Okay, I'm sorry, baby. I'll tell him to let me fall next time," I laughed. At that moment, Paul walked into my office with a big smile on his face.

"Hey Eddie, that you?" I put Edward on speaker phone so Paul could hear him.

"Fuck you Paulie, don't touch my lady you hear me?" Paul laughed and said, "Yeah, yeah I got it."

"Okay, baby I gotta go but I'll pick you up later."

"Okay, bye," I answered and he said a quick bye before I heard him yelling at someone in the background again.

"Ready for lunch, Isabella?"

"Yes, let me just lock up my desk. I'll meet you in the front."

Paul nodded and walked out of the office. I locked my desk and computer and walked to the coat closet to grab my purse. Just as I grabbed it, my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw Jasper's name on the screen. I frowned and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Isabella, it's Jasper."

"Hi Jasper, how are you?" I was a little surprised that he was calling me. Jasper and I had started talking more since he picked us up from the airport over the weekend but not so much that I expected him to call me.

"I'm good. I just wanted to call and see how you are doing?"

"Oh, I'm good, I guess. There's been so much going on this week I haven't really had a moment to myself. Is everything okay, Jasper?"

He chuckled and I could picture him running his hand along the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "Yes, everything is fine. I didn't mean to worry you. I just had a funny feeling and felt like I should check on you. But obviously, your fine."

I stayed quiet because it seemed like he had more to say. I was touched that he cared enough to call and make sure I was okay.

"Isabella, I know we don't know each other very well but I want you to know that you can call me anytime. You are going to be my sister soon and I want to know you better, I want you to feel comfortable around me."

I was shocked at his words. I know it must have been hard for him to say that. The Cullen men never show emotion. This is one thing I've learned over the past months. They are stoic unless they are laughing and joking with one another.

"Jasper, thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to check on me. I have to admit that I am a little intimidated by you but I'd like to get to know you as well. I look forward to having a brother."

Jasper let out a deep breath, "Alright, thanks Isabella. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay, good bye Jasper."

He hung up and I looked at my phone for a moment still surprised that he called me. But I couldn't help smiling at the thought of having a brother.

I walked out to the lobby to find Paul leaning over the reception area flirting with Lauren. She of course was playing with her hair and giggling like a schoolgirl. I rolled my eyes and hit Paul's arm as I passed him.

"Later, baby." I heard him say as he ran past me to get the door. He smiled at me playfully and I smirked back at him.

We walked to the sandwich shop down the street making small talk and laughing. There was a table outside open so I asked Paul to get me a sandwich and an iced tea as I sat down. The traffic was loud during the lunch rush but it was gloriously sunny outside. I adjusted the umbrella so it covered just my face from the sun and I soaked up its warmth on my arms and legs. I watched people walk passed me on the street some in a hurry and others strolling along enjoying the day as much as I was. I snapped a picture of the busy street with my phone and texted it to Edward with a note that said 'missing you'. I closed my eyes and couldn't help but smile as I imagined his beautiful face. I heard the chair across from me scrape the sidewalk and I opened my eyes, still smiling to look at Paul. But it wasn't Paul that was sitting across from me.

There was a man with dark hair and the bluest eyes I've ever seen sitting across from me. He was in a dark suit with a yellow silk tie. There were two very large men standing behind him. The smile slid off of my face as I looked at the men across from me. My phone was still in my hand and I hit the send button fumbling with the side keys to lower the volume so it wouldn't alert the blue eyed man. My mind started panicking. Where is Paul? How long does it take to buy a couple of sandwiches.

I raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.

"Isabella?" he said my name in the form of a question.

I didn't answer.

He laughed. "I see, you're going to be difficult. I have heard that you can be a bitch. But the pictures I have of you and Cullen don't show that side of you."

I could feel my hands shaking but I tried to remain cool on the outside. I didn't want to fuel the flame.

"May I ask what you are doing? I'm expecting someone for lunch," I said this while crossing my legs and tucking the skirt of my dress tightly under my legs. The man's eyes traveled across my form and lingered on my legs.

He smiled and licked his lips. "You won't need to worry about your lunch date. He's a little busy right now."

Oh shit, Paul isn't coming for me. I tilted my head toward the sun and closed my eyes knowing I couldn't show any weakness. This man would pick up on it in a heartbeat and I couldn't afford that right now. I pictured Edward's face and smiled. I looked past that image recalling the Bella I used to be before Edward. Cold, unfriendly, lonely Bella. I needed to be that Bella, just for a little while. I needed to be strong and allow time for someone to get here. Edward will take care of this guy in due time. I have no doubt about that.

I opened my eyes and looked at the man, smile still on my face. "Wonderful, what do you want?"

The man stared at me as if trying to figure me out. "You," he said simply.

"I'm taken."

He laughed, "Yes, so I've heard but that won't be the case for long," he leaned across the table and looked me in the eye. We sat there looking at each other for a moment. I had to admit that he was a beautiful man. Olive coloring, blue eyes, black wavy hair. His suit just finished off the look. As I raked over him, I could see him sit up a little bit, pea-cocking. I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"So, you think I'm just going to give up my nice life and run off with you because you look good in a suit? I don't even know your name."

"How rude of me," he held a hand out to me. "I'm Felix. Felix Aro."

Lovely, just what I needed. One of the Aro family here trying to stake a claim to me like I'm some kind of cattle.

I glanced at his hand but made no move to shake it. Felix raised his eyebrows and shook his head chuckling lightly. "Quite the firecracker, aren't you?" Movement behind Felix caught my eye. Jasper and Emmett were walking up quickly behind him. In a swift movement, Jasper and Emmett had his two body guards on the ground crying in agony.

Felix didn't move. He didn't flinch at the sound. He did however, smile at me. I felt a hand on my neck and willed myself not to jump. But I recognized who it was right away. It was my Edward, his hands were tucked into my hair, lightly massaging the nape of my neck like he did when we were alone. He was letting me know that it was him and I didn't have to worry. My posture stayed tense but I smiled at Felix. This is going to be interesting.


	9. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_~~Edward~~_

Idiot. How fucking hard is it to drive a forklift. It's not like we don't do this every fucking month. Dumb ass.

My mind continued to rant while I mumbled under my breath. There was so much shit to get done before we left tomorrow and I've had a bad fucking feeling all day today. I was currently doing inventory, counting and re-counting. My father had changed things up this month due to a large request placed by one of his 'colleagues'. Only my father would call these underhanded assholes colleagues. But I guess you can't really call people assholes to their faces, it would hurt business. As I was going through the different words for asshole in my head I hear fast, heavy footsteps behind me.

I stopped going through the crate in front of me and turned to see Jasper on the phone with Emmett right beside him. Emmett was directing traffic and Jasper had a stone cold look of hatred on his face. I stood tall and looked him in the eye wondering if his anger was directed at me. I felt someone next to me and saw my cousin, Johnny, holding his hand out for my clipboard.

"I got this." He nodded his head behind me looking at Jasper.

Jasper seemed to be getting more pissed off by the second. Johnny was the only other person I would trust with this so I handed him the clipboard and told him I'd be by to check on him after I figured out what was wrong with Jasper.

Jasper was already standing in front of me and he seemed to be shaking. He held his phone out to me and I took it and put it to my ear. The first thing I heard was, "So you think I'm just going to give up my nice life and run off with you because you look good in a suit? I don't even know your name." What the fuck? Emmett shoved me out the doors of the warehouse and toward his car.

I heard laughter and my step faltered. "How rude of me, I'm Felix. Felix Aro."

Mother fucker. I looked at the number on the phone. Bella. I pulled out my phone and hit the GPS tracking to search for her. When it came up, she was just a block away from her office. Luckily, we weren't too far away from her. We jumped in Emmett's Mercedes and he took off. We were able to take back streets up to the area she'd be in. When he pulled onto the main street, I immediately looked for the sandwich shop she liked to eat at. I could see her and three men at one of the outside tables.

"Where the fuck is Paul?" I growled.

Emmett parked on the opposite side of the street. Jasper turned to look at me. "Emmett and I will walk up behind him. You will go the opposite way and come up behind Isabella. I want him to see you."

I nodded and got out of the car. We each crossed the street moving quickly in opposite directions. As I moved toward Bella, my eyes took in my surroundings. People, cars, tables. My mind was on overdrive and I couldn't stop the paranoia that there were more of them somewhere.

I met Felix's eyes as I walked up behind Bella. I watched as Jasper and Emmett dealt with the 'security' and placed my hand in Bella's hair moving my thumb in circles. She was tense but she didn't jump when she felt my hand. She sat completely still and I couldn't help but smile. My girl was bad ass. Felix's eyes stayed on her, no doubt noticing that she didn't even shift minutely when I touched her. I noticed his eyes narrowed slightly when my girl turned toward me with a smile on her face.

I noticed a couple of our guys walk up to Jasper and Emmett quickly moving toward the sandwich shop.

Felix finally turned his attention to me. "Bene, guarda che alla fine si presentò." (Well, look who finally showed up.)

I laughed and shook my head, "Che cazzo ci fai qui?"(What the fuck are you doing here?)

He looked at Bella, letting his eyes roam over her before looking back at me. "I think you know why I'm here."

I smirked and pulled a chair next to Bella to sit down. My hand was still on Bella's neck and I rested one leg over the other in a casual manner. I smoothed my tie as I looked around getting myself under control. I felt Bella place her hand on my leg and it helped calm me down. I looked over at her and kissed her temple.

"Well, I'm sure Isabella has already told you she's taken and I don't share." I gave Felix a hard look and he had the same look on his face.

"Look asshole," he looked around and lowered his voice. "There is history here that you know nothing about. I will have her as was arranged."

"Fuck you, Felix. There is no arrangement where Isabella is concerned. From what I hear, Renee has already been claimed by one of you. E 'finita. Andare avanti."(It's over. Move on.)

Felix laughed. "Are you fucking kidding me? Do you even know how we found her? Stupid bitch was high out of her mind and somehow ended up at Vinnie's bakery in Queen's. One of my guy's happened to be there when she walked in asking for Saul, Jr." He shook his head and had a look of disgust on his face. "Fucking Angelo was sent to pick her up and he ended up taking her back to Italy to get cleaned up. Angelo decided to stay with her but that doesn't make the debt paid. She was supposed to be in New York when she turned sixteen. That was the deal and she wasn't there. Her family fucked up, not us."

I looked closely at Felix. He had to be close to my age, not old enough for Renee to have been on his radar during that time.

"Why the fuck are you so worried about this? It's not like she was meant for you."

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. Whatever was going through his head was pissing him off. His posture tensed and then he moved forward placing his hands flat on the table. He maintained eye contact with me the whole time. Isabella and I hadn't shifted from our positions. I wasn't going to give an inch here. I needed to keep calm to get answers.

"Sal was my older brother and I looked up to him and that fucker ruined everything for him. His girl," Felix stopped to roll his shoulders, "that bitch was fucking half the guys at the club. When Sal found out he fucking lost his shit. He made a such a big fucking deal about wanting to kill that asshole for fucking with his girl only to find out that he was being played the whole time. She was taken care of at the same time as Saul. And then my brother put a fucking bullet in his own head. That is why I'm fucking worried about it."

Holy shit. Bella's fingers gripped my leg tightly and I applied a little pressure to her neck letting her know I was still with her. Her fingers slackened just enough to be comfortable. How the hell do we deal with this?

I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees, "So what the fuck do you want from me? I'm not going to hand over my fiance."

He stood and straightened out his suit and then looked over at the asshole security guys he had with him. "Go get the fucking car."

One of the guys took off to grab the car while the other stood next to Felix. "Ci vediamo presto, Culerizzo." (I'll see you soon, Culerizzo)

I looked over at Jasper who was watching Felix as he walked toward his car. He opened the back door and pulled Paul out tossing him on the ground. Emmett walked over and took a look at Paul before picking him up and tossing him over his shoulder. Felix threw one last look at Isabella, then me before getting in the car and driving off.

I pulled Isabella to her feet and walked with her toward her office. Jasper and Emmett took off with Paul across the street to the car.

They pulled up to the curb in front of Bella's gallery as we walked up.

"Isabella, are you already packed for the trip?" Jasper asked her.

"Yes, my bags and Edward's are in the living room."

"I'm going to pick them up. Everyone is staying at the house tonight." Jasper turned to look at me, "finish what needs to be done here and get to the house."

I nodded and walked Bella inside. She was shaking and I could tell the adrenaline was rushing out of her system now. When we got to her office, I closed the door and pulled her into a hug. I could feel her shaking all over and I could feel her tears leaking through my shirt.

"It's okay, baby. You're okay," I said quietly in her ear over and over.

~~U~~

We were on a plane again in less than a week. I rolled my neck trying to ease some of the tension. Bella and I were on this plane alone. Jasper thought it would be better for us if we all left Chicago at different times. My parents were already in Italy having left a few days after our conversation with Marcus Buccieri. That asshole Saul created a fucking mess and now Bella is the target.

I know Felix is planning something. There was no reason for him to leave Bella at that sandwich shop yesterday. He wanted to show us that he can get to her and there isn't a fucking thing we can do about it. Paul said someone knocked him out before he even made it into the sandwich shop. He was pissed off that they were able to take him down. He apologized to Bella over and over but she didn't want to hear it. She explained that she didn't blame him and she was okay.

We were lying in the bedroom on the plane and Bella was sleeping with her head on my chest. Our legs were tangled together and I ran my hand through her hair. I couldn't help but wonder what the hell I would do without her now. I've grown too attached to her, I could admit that I love her now. That pain in my chest was a constant now. Anytime I was away from her I could feel it. And yesterday, when I saw her sitting at that table with Felix, I thought I would explode. Too many things could have happened yesterday. He could have taken her and vanished. And I haven't even told her how I feel.

I was having a hard time shutting down. The trip to Italy was long and I hadn't slept yet. I was constantly on edge. I absently ran my fingers through Bella's hair staring up at the ceiling. I felt Bella tighten her grip on me and I turned to look at her.

"Edward," she whispered in her sleep.

"I'm here, baby," I said, kissing her forehead.

"Don't leave me, Edward," she sighed and then turned her face into my chest. She took a deep breath and then loosened her hold on me, snuggling into my chest.

I really hope this plan to meet Antonio Aro works.

~~U~~

We landed around eight o'clock the next night and I was so fucking relieved. I was going a little stir crazy on the plane. Bella slept most of the time and said she wasn't feeling very well. She didn't like airplanes very much and I wasn't really able to help distract her because my mind was working overtime.

There was a car waiting for us when we arrived. I looked at the driver and tensed because I didn't recognize him. I looked around the area searching for anything out of the ordinary. Not noticing anything, I looked back at him.

"Come ti chiami?" I asked the driver.

"Nico," he answered.

"Fai a sapere dove stiamo andando?" (Do you know where we are going?)

"Il Boschetto," I nodded and started helping him place our bags in the trunk of the car. Il Boschetto or The Grove is what we call my grandparents estate. It is beautiful. Lush green valleys, trees, there's even a separate building that was designed around a wine room. I can't wait for Bella to see it.

Bella looked at me, "Is everything okay?" She looked at the driver and then back at me.

I nodded, "Yes, I wanted to make sure he knew where we are going."

She looked a little uneasy but she nodded and stood to the side waiting for direction from me. I nodded to the driver letting him know I wanted him to start the car before we got in. Fuck, I'm acting paranoid. But I can't help feeling that I need to keep Bella safe. So all of these precautions are necessary.

The driver started the car and drove forward a little bit and then back toward us. He must know what is going on and he is helping me put my mind at ease. I helped Bella into the car and wrapped an arm around her. She kissed my cheek and laid her head on my chest. She has been very clingy since the incident with Felix. She hardly lets me out of her site. Not that I blame her because I have been the same way.

The ride was long and the night was quiet. It was actually relaxing. I didn't sleep but I did rest my head against the back of the seat when I wasn't talking to Bella. She's said very little since yesterday and I'm worried about her. I don't want her to start closing herself off again. Bella broke the silence after a little bit asking me why Felix called me Culerizzo.

"Well, the name Cullen is Irish. John Cullen came to Italy and fell in love with Anna Rizzo. People had a hard time saying Cullen but everyone knew Anna so they combined the names and their last name became Culerizzo. It wasn't really official, but it stuck with the following generations until our family left Italy. The name changed back to Cullen to be more American."

"Wow," Bella said. I turned to look at her and she had a small smile and a far away look on her face. "What a great story."

I smiled at her and kissed her.

We pulled up to my grandparents estate a little while later. It was already dark but the motion sensor lights came on lighting up the driveway and the front yard. Bella looked around and then smiled at me.

"It's beautiful. I can't wait to see it during the day."

My parents were waiting for us on the steps as we turned back toward the house.

"Edward," my mother said then kissed my cheek. She turned and gave Bella a tight hug and spoke quietly in her ear. I turned and shook my father's hand.

We headed up to the room Bella and I would be sharing. It was the room I always slept in while we were here. It was more masculine than Bella would probably like but it was large and comfortable. I placed our bags in the closet and walked back toward the bed.

Bella had taken off her shoes and her dress was lying on a chair. She sat in the middle of the bed in what looked like pink satin slip. God, she looked amazing sitting there. I continued walking toward her and grabbed her ankles and pulled her to me. I placed her legs on either side of me and leaned in to kiss her. She grabbed my face with her hands and started to lie back. My body followed her and I placed my hands beside her head. After a few moments, we broke apart for some air and I placed a kiss on the side of her mouth and moved toward her ear whispering, "You're so beautiful."

She smiled at me and licked my cheek. I looked at her and she laughed and started moving away from me. I loved to see her like this playful and happy. I climbed up onto the bed as she scooted back. She was still laughing and I smiled at her as I grabbed her hips and stopped her movement and tickled her.

"Ah! Edward!" she laughed. "Stop, please!" she was squirming around and when she turned to her side I leaned down and bit her on the ass.

She stopped immediately and looked at me, "did you just bite my ass?"

I laughed and leaned into her, "Delicious." I removed her slip and she was laid out before me. And I made sure to enjoy all of her delicious body.

We lie in bed afterward just enjoying the quiet and the warm air. I eventually drifted off into a dreamless sleep with the woman I loved in my arms.

~~U~~

The next few days flew by. We spent time with my grandparents, who absolutely fell in love with Bella. But that was no surprise. Anyone who was able to see Bella shine fell in love with her, myself included. My grandmother, mother and Bella had been cooking together every day. And Bella's Italian was improving as a result. Some days, my grandfather, my dad and I sat in the kitchen and watched all of them interact with one another. It gave me a great feeling of happiness that she was accepted by the women in my family.

My grandfather, on the other hand, was pissing me off. He kept stealing Isabella from me any chance he got. He even pinched her ass once, in front of me. Bella laughed and joked with my grandfather who gave me a cheeky grin that said, 'see, I still got it.'" Now I know where all of the Cullen arrogance came from.

Between Bella and my grandfather a weird mix of Italian and English was the new language of the house. If Bella didn't know a word in Italian, she would say it in English and vice versa with my grandparents. They spoke English but living in Italy and away from the city allowed them to enjoy their native tongue. 'Come si dice' was a very popular phrase these days.

After a couple of days, Jasper, Paul, Emmett and Rosalie arrived adding a new mix to the house. It was now loud and busy. Bella and I would sneak out and walk around Il Boschetto and I would tell her the stories and histories behind the property. Over the past few days, we'd had picnic lunches on the grounds and in the evening we would lie under the stars holding hands and talking. I felt like Bella and I had gotten so much closer.

We spent the day before in the city with my grandparents. We went to church in the morning and then to lunch and then we did some shopping. My grandparents held hands and my grandmother had her arm wrapped around Bella's arm as she told Bella the histories and stories of the town they lived in. My grandmother told Bella the story of her wedding to my grandfather in the same church we had been at this morning. Bella was teary eyed by the end of the story and my grandmother hugged her and whispered something in Bella's ear. It was an overwhelming experience for me to see the love between Bella and my grandparents.

That night as we sat out on the balcony off of our room, Bella and I talked about anything and everything. I told her stories about the summers Jasper and I spent here as a kid. We laughed and a feeling of contentment settled over me. We had been talking about my grandfather and the trouble we got into with him when I trailed off. I looked around and noticed how bright the stars were tonight and how the moon lit the landscape. And when I looked at Bella, she had the most beautiful smile on her face and I wanted to remember this moment forever. And I wanted her to be mine forever.

The proposal we shared a few months ago was staged. We didn't know each other then. We didn't love each other then. But now, now I felt like I couldn't wait to be married to this woman. And I wanted to do it the right way.

"Baby," Bella said, "are you okay? What's wrong?"

I was quiet for a few moments trying to get my thoughts under control. I want to marry this woman and I don't want to wait another five months.

"Bella, baby, I love you," I said quietly. It was the first time I had ever said this to her. Her eyes went wide and I kissed her lips quickly and continued, "I don't want to wait to marry you. I want to get married here, in Italy, at the same church my grandparents were married." Bella gasped but I continued talking wanting to make sure I said everything I needed to. "I want it to just be us. I want this to be ours. We can still have the big wedding in Chicago this winter but I want us to have this moment to ourselves. So much has been going on and everyone's emotions are running so high, I just want to have this little piece of happiness with you. Just you and me." I took Bella's face in my hands and leaned it to whisper, "La mia Isabella, mi vuoi sposare?"

It was a few moments before she spoke. "Oh Edward," she said sobbing at the end of my name. "I love you. I love you," She kissed me quickly, "Yes, I'll marry you. When? When are we going to get married?"

"Really?"

"Yes," she laughed. "I can't wait to marry you." She kissed me again but pulled back quickly and looked at me, "Oh my God, your mom is going to be so upset if she finds out."

I laughed and pulled her around so she was straddling me. I pulled her closer still and kissed her. We sat like that for awhile longer discussing how we would go about doing this without everyone finding out. I'm not really sure we will be able to keep this a secret because if the smile on Bella's face is any indication, the family is going to know we are up to something. But at the moment, I couldn't care less. The woman I love agreed to marry me and she loves me.

_Alternate POV_

Carlisle walked through the house making sure it was secure before he went to bed. As he walked down the hall he could hear laughter echoing behind him. He turned and walked toward the laughter. He, of course, knew it was Edward and Isabella but he was curious about their relationship. They were both very reserved in front of others and Carlisle wasn't quite sure he could trust the honesty of their relationship. In truth, he wasn't completely sure of Isabella. He had received no information to say he couldn't trust her and all of her interaction with his parents and family have appeared to be heartfelt but he just needed that last assurance to welcome her into his family with his whole heart.

As he walked down the hall he could hear the light music from the room and voices. The laughter was constant as was the animated voice of his son. He had never heard him speak this way before. Don't misunderstand, Edward has always had a great relationship with his family. They had a house full of laughter and practical jokes but Edward was always a little reserved but when he loved, he gave his full heart. Carlisle knew Edward would do anything for his family.

Carlisle walked into the living room and opened the french doors that led out to the patio and sat in one of the chairs listening to Edward tell Isabella stories from his childhood. The trouble he and Jasper would get into when they were here during the summers. Isabella would laugh and ask him questions. Carlisle couldn't help but feel relieved after a few moments of listening to them interact with one another. He had been so worried it was all an act, a story created to keep something from him.

Jasper walked out and in a chair next to Carlisle. Isabella and Edward continued talking and laughing, oblivious to the fact that there were people listening to them.

"So, why you out here Pops?" Jasper asked Carlisle. Carlisle simply looked up toward the balcony where Edward and Isabella were.

Jasper nodded, "I know. I wasn't sure either. When he called me that day, I could hear music in the background and I didn't know where the hell he was. Then I walked into the office and saw them together." Jasper thought back to that day and remembered the closeness between the two. "I looked around and all of her camera equipment was out, her laptop was running, the music was pretty loud. I know Ed used a silencer so she wouldn't have heard anything from the other side of the warehouse. But I wasn't sure."

Jasper smiled as he thought of the moment he began to like Isabella. "Then I danced with her at the engagement party." He chuckled quietly and Carlisle raised an eyebrow at him, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I ask her to dance and she accepted but she didn't speak, at all. She just looked at me with a raised eyebrow, like she knew I was up to something. And I remember thinking, 'damn, she's feisty. Edward's gonna have his hands full with this one.'" Jasper chuckled again and leaned his head back against the chair. "So I asked her why she only talked with Edward, you know conversationally, and she said because she trusted him. And there was this fierce look in her eyes," Jasper narrowed his eyes trying to find a word for the look she gave him. He turned to look at his father, "I don't know what it was but I knew she cared about him. I knew she was genuine." He shrugged getting lost in his thoughts. "She's good for him."

Carlisle nodded and then concentrated on the couple again. They were still talking but quieter now. It wasn't difficult to make out what they were saying. Because of the hour, everyone was asleep and the house was quiet and being outside caused their voices to carry slightly.

"Baby," Isabella said, "are you okay? What's wrong?"

They didn't hear anything for a few minutes.

"Bella, baby, I love you," Edward said quietly. "I don't want to wait to marry you. I want to get married here, in Italy, at the same church my grandparents were married."

They heard Isabella gasp and Edward continued talking. "I want it to just be us. I want this to be ours. We can still have the big wedding in Chicago this winter but I want us to have this moment to ourselves. So much has been going on and everyone's emotions are running so high, I just want to have this little piece of happiness with you. Just you and me."

It was a few moments before Isabella spoke. "Oh Edward," it sounded like she was crying. "I love you. I love you. Yes, I'll marry you. When? When are we going to get married?"

"Really?"

"Yes," she laughed. "I can't wait to marry you. Oh my God, your mom is going to be so upset if she finds out."

Jasper and Carlisle laughed quietly knowing Isabella was right but Carlisle was pleased that Isabella cared about his wife's feelings. Listening to them laugh and talk tonight eased his mind. And he knew that if Isabella was willing to marry Edward and keep it quiet until the couple married in Chicago, he had nothing to worry about. A woman that was after a man for his money or his name would not be willing to make that sacrifice. As Edward and Isabella planned their private wedding, Jasper and Carlisle headed inside closing the doors.

But Carlisle did plan on having a family member or two at that ceremony. He would talk to Edward in the morning. As much as he wanted them to have this moment, there was something he wanted to give his son before he married.

"Jasper, someone is still watching them right?"

Jasper nodded, "Demetri." Carlisle nodded and with a squeeze to his son's shoulder he returned to his wife with a feeling of happiness and new love in his chest.

_AN: Hi everyone, the Italian in this chapter is courtesy of Google translate. Italian is not a language I speak but I love how it sounds. Also, Il Boschetto is not mine, I just borrowed the name for the story. Thank you to those of you who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate it. _


	10. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~Bella~~

This past week has been amazing. I have kept all of the Aro business out of my mind and just enjoyed spending time with Edward and his family in Italy. This place is beautiful. But I think my favorite part of the estate is the separate house with the wine room. There is a full kitchen upstairs with a formal dining room but the wine cellar, ah, it's amazing. It is all stone with wood beams and there are candelabras everywhere. It's just... I don't know, relaxing and welcoming. I love it. I am hoping that Edward and I can design something similar when we get our own house.

That is a topic we haven't broached yet, living arrangements. Edward is staying with me right now while Charlotte and Peter are in his apartment but I don't know how long that will last and while I am pretty open with Edward about most things, I am nervous to have this discussion. But that makes absolutely no sense because we are getting married soon! I don't know what is wrong with me. Actually, that isn't true. If I'm honest with myself, I know it is because I don't want him to tell me he is going to move back to his apartment when Pete and Char are gone.

I turned off the shower and dried off. After slipping on my robe, I walked into the bedroom to find Edward still sleeping. He was hugging my pillow tight to him. I laughed quietly and walked toward him. Using a little stool, I climbed onto the enormous bed. I untied the knot of my robe and opened up the front so I could lay behind him skin to skin. He was so warm and he smelled so good. As soon as my skin touched his he tensed. I smiled, my skin was definitely not as warm as his considering I had just showered. I wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed his back and shoulders working my way to his neck. He sighed and I whispered in his ear, "Time to wake up."

He groaned and grabbed the arm I had wrapped around him and then he somehow flipped me over him so we were now face to face. I laughed at the unexpected movement and when I looked back at him he smiled.

"Hi," he said in a gruff, sleepy voice.

"Hi," I answered him back kissing his lips lightly. "It's time to get up."

He took a deep breath and pulled me closer to him slipping his hands inside of my robe. "Mmm, okay. Why is your hair wet?"

"I already showered. I wanted to give you a few more minutes to sleep."

"Don't do that anymore, I like showering with you." He kissed my cheek and worked his way down my neck to my collarbone. "You look sexy all wet and soapy."

I laughed and pulled his hair bringing his face back to mine. "Okay, tomorrow I'll make sure to wake you up. Come on. I want to help with breakfast."

He squeezed me one last time then we got out of the bed. Edward laughed as I held my hands out to him so he could help me off of the bed. "Don't laugh. This bed is enormous!"

I've been helping Edward's grandmother and mother with all of the cooking this week. I love to cook and I help Esme on Sunday's after church so I thought it would be a nice way to get to know his grandmother better. She is such a strong and amazing woman. And she's so funny. She's always telling stories about her husband, Carlisle, Jasper and Edward and all of the trouble they would get into and the jokes they would play on each other. She loved her family and I hoped that one day she would count me as a part her family too.

She was also helping me with my Italian. I hadn't really spoken Italian since I was ten when my mother left us, so it was hard. I couldn't really remember anything except a few words and phrases but the more I was around everyone, the more I was able to pick it up. And Edward was always helping me if I didn't understand something. He said it was very sexy to hear me speak Italian and as a result he was encouraging me to speak to him in Italian as much as possible. I have to admit, it was sexy to hear him speak in his first language as well, especially in bed.

We laughed a lot for the first few days. The kitchen seemed to be the heart of this home. We were always eating, drinking and talking. Edward's grandfather, Santo, had taken an instant liking to me. He showed me all around the property and gave me the history of the land and of the family. He told me the same story Edward had about John Cullen and Anna Rizzo. I loved that they held on to their history and passed it along. I don't know anything about my dad's family but Edward's family can go clear back to the 1800's.

"Buongiorno!" I greeted everyone as I walked into the kitchen.

"Isa, buongiorno!" Esme and Francesca greeted me.

Esme kissed my cheek, "How did you sleep, dear?"

"Wonderful, the bed is amazing. Even Edward has been sleeping well."

Esme smiled and squeezed my hand. I could tell she was happy with the relationship her son and I had. And to be honest, so was I. Things could have turned out so horribly if Edward and I weren't able to get along with one another.

We started making hazelnut cinnamon rolls for breakfast and by the time they were done baking the smell was making my mouth water. I had been really hungry lately but I had an insane craving for sweet foods. We talked and laughed as we finished the cinnamon rolls we drizzled the mascarpone cheese mixture on top and set everything out on the table.

Esme brought over a pitcher of iced cappuccino and we all sat down to enjoy breakfast. This would be the last day that the six of us would enjoy breakfast together. Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Paul would be arriving today. This fact immediately sent me back to the reason we are here in Italy. To talk to Antonio Aro about this whole situation.

After our run in with Felix, I couldn't get the story he told out of my head. His brother, Salvatore, that he looked up to was wronged by my grandfather and deceived by the woman he loved. And Felix has been holding this anger in for so long that he now feels the need to make things right. It's heartbreaking and terrible at the same time.

Edward and Jasper think that Felix was pretty young when Salvatore killed himself and wasn't privy to all of the facts. He may know the outcome about the girlfriend and Saul but he never received the closure he feels Sal deserved. Edward also thinks that the Aro family stopped looking for Renee when they found out that Sal's girl was the club bicycle. The Aro's didn't pursue it and it was squashed until Renee showed up at the bakery in Queen's.

But didn't someone say people found Renee when I was ten and that was why she left Charlie and me? Who was looking for her if it wasn't the Aro family?

Either way, Renee set the ball in motion again and the effect, Felix wanted to hurt others the way he hurt when Salvatore ended his life. It's all just a horrible, fucked up story. I can't help but feel bad for what they have gone through, but not enough that I would ever be willing to give up Edward and his family.

Edward and I planned a small picnic for ourselves this afternoon. I packed a basket full of bread, cheese, grapes, wine and water along with a blanket I found in our room. I was putting all of the items together when I felt Edward's arms around my waist. He leaned in and kissed my cheek and I smiled.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded and Edward took the basket from me and wrapped his free arm around my shoulder. We walked for about ten minutes until we were in a small little clearing surrounded by wildflowers, trimmed shrubs and a large, beautiful tree that seemed to bear some kind of fruit. There was also a grassy area and a bench slightly hidden in the flowers. It was a beautiful spot. I set up the blanket on the grass under the tree hiding us from the warm sun. Edward unpacked our meal and we sat and ate quietly for a few moments.

"Bella," Edward paused waiting for me to look at him. "We haven't really talked about what happened with Felix the other day. Are you doing okay? Do you need to talk about it?" Edward asked quietly.

I nodded but frowned not sure exactly what to say. "I'm okay but..." I trailed off. I looked around and there was no one nearby. I wanted to let out this anger that had been building over the past few days. Not anger at Edward but at this whole situation. I have been able to distract myself from it so far by spending time with his family and letting Edward consume me at night. But I suddenly had the urge to just let it all out.

"No, I'm not okay," I told him evenly. "I'm angry and sad and pissed off that we are even in this situation. I don't know any of the people involved in this mess. I don't even know my mother!" I screamed. "And yet, here I am worried that at any moment I will be kidnapped by some crazy asshole wanting to avenge his brother's death. I'm worried that something will happen to you," I looked at him with tears in my eyes. "I'm pissed off that Saul and Marcus thought it would be a good idea to hide my mother away instead of just facing the music and trying to find a way to get out of the mess Saul created. I mean, that woman at the club was a whore! Don't you think that Marcus or Saul could have used that information to get out of the agreement or at least negotiate it somehow?"

By this point I was on my feet pacing and gesturing wildly with my hands. "And now this asshole Felix is telling you that he will have me? I mean, my God, he hates the name Buccieri and he wants me? For what? I can only imagine what he would do if he got a hold of me and it scares the shit out of me, Edward." I deflated and sat down in the grass where I had been standing. "I feel bad that those things happened to them, I really do. But why do I have to be the one to clean it up? Why can't it just go back to when no one cared who Isabella Swan was?"

I covered my face with my hands and cried. I let go of all of the tears I had been holding in since the day we met Felix. I felt Edward's hand in my hair and I looked up at him. He held a hand out to me and pulled me up when I took it. He wrapped me in his arms and let me cry. He didn't say anything to me. He just held me and swayed with me letting me know he was there for me, as always.

After a while, the tears stopped but I still held him tightly. I felt calmer than I had a few minutes ago. I just needed to let everything out and somehow Edward always knows what I need. I suddenly had an incredible urge to disappear with him. I looked up at him and was about to tell him exactly that when we were interrupted.

"Edoardo!" his grandfather yelled. "Jasper è arrivato."

I rested my head against Edward's chest and sighed.

"Va tutto bene?" he called out to us. (Is everything okay?)

"Sì, ci danno un momento," Edward answered back. (Yes, can you give us a moment?)

"Bella," Edward said as he lifted my face to look at him, "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Do you believe me?" His eyes searched mine.

I nodded and went up on my toes to kiss him. His hands were on my cheeks and I felt so delicate and loved. I smiled against his lips and he kissed me again quickly.

"Okay, let's go say hello to everyone before my grandfather comes to steal you away from me again," Edward furrowed his brow in mock anger.

I laughed and we packed up our picnic and walked toward the house. Edward caught my hand and kissed my wrist. I rested my head against his bicep and wrapped my free arm around his holding on to him tightly.

~~U~~

Bliss. Complete bliss. It was the only way to describe the way I felt at the moment. Edward had asked me to marry him. Again. But this time the question had come from his heart. He told me he loved me and he couldn't wait to marry me. I know that my smile was larger than life but I couldn't contain it.

I was lying in bed with my back against Edward's chest as I looked at my engagement ring. When he gave this ring to me two months ago we were complete strangers. We knew nothing about each other nor did we know if we would be able to pull off the act we were playing. But everything changed the night of the engagement party. I don't know that I loved him then but I know fate was pushing us together. The electricity that surrounded us in the limo was nothing I had ever experienced before.

And things had been moving right along since then. I knew I would easily fall in love with Edward but I never expected it to happen so quickly. Once we let our guard down with one another the puzzle pieces just fell into place. And now, here we are at the family home in Italy planning to sneak away and get married. We aren't quite disappearing as I would have liked, but it's pretty damn close. Even if it will only be for a few hours.

I felt Edward's arms tighten around me and I closed my eyes relishing in the closeness between us.

"Good morning," Edward said as he kissed my neck.

I turned my head slightly to look at him. His eyes were still closed but he had a smile on his face. I kissed his chin, "good morning my soon to be husband."

Edward opened his eyes and I could see the excitement in them. "Hmmm, Isabella Cullen." A thrill rushed through me as he said this.

I turned so that I was facing him and looked into his beautiful eyes. "I can't wait to marry you. I can't wait to have your name," I said kissing him softly.

He rolled us so that he was above me and he leaned in and kissed me. It was soft and sensual. I lost myself in the feel of his lips against mine. It was a wonderful feeling to know that he would truly be mine soon. Edward pulled away from me and I slowly opened my eyes to see him smiling above me. He gave me one more quick kiss and then got up from the bed. He held his hands out to me and I moved over to him on my knees. He quickly picked me up and carried me into the bathroom.

He placed a towel on the countertop and sat me down. Then turned on the water and adjusted the temperature before picking me up and carrying me inside the shower with him. He held me against the stone tiles and kissed me under the spray of the water. His skin was slick and hot from the steam that filled the small space.

I opened my eyes to find his already focused on me. He thrust into me in one swift motion never taking his eyes off of me. I let out a gasp and squeezed against him. He groaned and pushed into me again. I hugged him tighter and squeezed my legs against him trying to get as close to him as possible. I was completely lost in him. He was all I could focus on. His skin against mine, his heat burning through me, his rough hands, his breathing, his lips. And before I knew it I was crashing into him unable to hold on any longer.

He pushed me into the wall and kissed me hard as his orgasm took over. And in that moment, he was beautiful. Edward lowered me to my feet slowly, making sure I was able to stand. His hands were on my hips and his rested against my shoulder. I massaged the water through his hair and reached for the shampoo. Edward didn't move as I washed and rinsed his hair. I reached for the soap and washed his back in slow circles allowing him time to come back to me. I squeezed his ass because it was the only thing I could do from my current position and Edward chuckled before kissing my shoulder.

"Okay, beautiful girl, your turn." And he washed every inch of my skin but he leaned against the tiles to watch as I washed and conditioned my hair. I in turn watched him as he became hard again. I continued to rinse my hair as he took himself into his hands and pumped at a slow but sensual pace. I didn't move from the water. I stayed under the spray watching the muscles in his arm flex as he worked toward a release. I could feel myself becoming excited again and moved my hands down my body taking my breast in one hand while the other hand moved to the bundle of nerves that required my attention. Edward's eyes darkened and his hand moved faster, as did mine.

We continued this way until Edward moaned my name and I pressed my fingers down on my clit and came, slapping my hand against the wall to keep myself upright. Edward hissed a low 'fuck' and I opened my eyes to see him reach his release.

I smiled at my fiance and the only thought in my mind was that I hope we are always like this.

~~U~~

After breakfast, Edward was called into a meeting with grandfather, father and brother. It seemed odd but Edward smiled and squeezed my hand before walking away. I was concerned that it had to do with Felix. I had been in a nice little bubble the past couple of days. I completely surrounded myself in Edward and his family pushing any and all other thoughts to the back of my mind. That bubble had slowly been dissipating since Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie had arrived. I was immediately reminded of Chicago and what waited for us when we returned home. Or what could have possibly followed us here. I couldn't turn off the constant flow of thoughts that ran through my head.

The only time I could escape my thoughts is when I was with Edward. His touch calmed me and made me feel safe. He had kept his word and never discussed family business with me or around me. I know nothing about what he does on a day to day basis or where he goes when he disappears at night.

In a way, I'm grateful that I am oblivious to the reality of his work. I don't think I could handle knowing the kinds of things he does for the family. But at the same time I worry that my ignorance is putting us in danger.

I was still sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of me as I thought back to last night. Edward and I sat on the balcony talking for hours about our lives and our families. When Edward asked me to marry him again, it took my breath away. We discussed the possibilities and came up with a tentative plan on how we would be able to make it work. Edward and I were going to talk with the priest today so we would be able to marry tomorrow. We would leave the house while it is still dark and be married in the small church in a private ceremony. We were also planning to go into town today to find wedding bands. And I also wanted to find a dress. I want Edward to remember the way I look on our wedding day. I am so happy that we will have this moment together. I smiled to myself and moved to gather my dishes.

As I looked up from the table, three women were staring at me intently. How long had I been lost in my thoughts?

"What?" I asked looking at each of them. I immediately wiped my mouth and smoothed my hair, thinking there was something wrong with my appearance. "Is something wrong? Do I have something on my face?"

They didn't answer and it made me nervous. I was about to get up and walk to the bathroom when Rosalie finally spoke. "There is something different about you this morning. You haven't been listening to anything we've said and you can't stop smiling." She narrowed her eyes at me, "what are you hiding?"

My eyebrows shot up and I looked over at Esme and Francesca. "Hiding? I'm not hiding anything. I'm just happy." I smiled at her knowing that I won't be able to hold in. "Edward and I were talking last night about the wedding and our future," I trailed off and shrugged. "I'm just really happy. Edward wants us to buy our wedding rings here and have them blessed before we go back to Chicago."

Rosalie smiled and took my hand in hers. "I'm happy for you. You and Edward are perfect together."

"Sono incinta?" Francesca asked me. (Are you pregnant?)

I laughed, "No, I'm not pregnant."

"Are you sure, Isabella? You do seem to have a little glow," Esme responded with a smile.

"Sorry, ladies. I'm not pregnant. I've been on the shot for years," and I had my last one in April I thought to myself. I think it was in April. I better schedule an appointment when we get back to Chicago.

"Hmmm," Francesca grunted. "Vedremo di che." (We'll see about that.)

I shook my head and laughed. I got up from the table and placed all of our dishes in the sink. What would I do if I was pregnant? What would Edward think? It isn't something we've ever talked about. Whatever, I don't feel any different. Crazy women putting ideas in my head. But I have to admit that I am looking forward to having little Edward's running around.

~~Edward~~

I walked into the library behind my grandfather, Carlisle and Jasper wondering what the hell was going on. Jasper had a lazy smile on his face, my grandfather looked smug and my father looked like the cat that ate the canary.

"Alright, what the hell are you guys up to?" I asked as I sat down on the sofa. My father leaned against the door frame that separated the library and my grandfather's office. He didn't speak but he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I let my head fall back and my eyes closes. Damn it. How the fuck does he know. I thought Bella and I were pretty quiet the other night. But we were sitting outside on the balcony. If he had been walking anywhere near our room that night he would have heard us. Fuck.

"Ed," Jasper laughed, "you know you can't have any secrets in this house. It's impossible."

"Damn it. You guys know?" I shook my head and laughed. "Bella is going to be disappointed that we were found out."

"Edward, We aren't here to stop you."

"You're not?" I asked looking at my father.

He laughed and pulled out a cigarette. "No."

I frowned and looked at the three other men in the room with me. "Okay, so what's this all about then?"

"Edoardo," my grandfather stood and walked over to me. "It used to be considered good luck to carry a piece of iron in your pocket on the day of your wedding. It was an old superstition but no one ever went against it.

"On my wedding day, my grandfather gave me a coin," he held his hand out to me and there was an old coin with the letter C on it. "It has become a tradition in our family for the grandfather to give a coin to his grandson on his wedding day." He held the coin out to me and placed it in my hand.

"Che Dio vi benedica con amore e felicità," he squeezed my hand as he spoke. (May God bless you with love and happiness.)

"Thank you," I said as I looked at the coin. When I looked back up my father was smiling. "Damn it, I am feeling bad about sneaking off now."

My father laughed. "Well, I don't blame you for wanting to sneak off with Isabella. But if your mother and grandmother find out, I don't want to be anywhere near you."

~~U~~

Bella and I spent the afternoon shopping. We stopped and had lunch in a little cafe and we talked and laughed the entire time. I felt a little on edge this afternoon and I didn't know why. I was very aware of my surroundings, looking for anything or anyone out of place but not seeing anything out of the ordinary. I kept Bella close to me not letting her out of my grasp. I always had an arm around her or her hand tucked into the crook of my elbow.

We stopped at a dress shop that Bella wanted to look at. She made me stay outside in case she found the perfect dress for tomorrow. I leaned against the wall and watched as people walked by. A car backfired to my right and I turned in that direction only to stop and focus on the bakery across the street. The shades drawn on all of the windows so I couldn't see inside. I made a mental note to walk on the opposite side of the street.

After about 20 minutes, Bella walked out with a garment bag that was tied up so she could carry it without dragging the bottom on the floor. I took the bag and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

We found the jewelry store I wanted to go to and looked at all of the displays. I was pretty confident that the right pair would just jump out at me. Bella had walked away from me to take a look at another display and the jeweler walked over to her to answer her questions. I listened to her speak and couldn't help the excitement I felt every time she spoke Italian. It was such fucking turn on.

Just as I was about to turn and go to Bella's side something flashed and caught my attention. The sunlight caught on a ring. The gold band was delicate and narrow with round sparkling diamonds going all the way around. It would fit perfect with Bella's engagement ring. There was a man's ring next to it. A very traditional, wide gold band to match the delicate ring next to it. They looked perfect next to each other.

"Bella, baby, come over here for a minute."

Bella walked over and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Look, what about those two?" I pointed to the rings in the display.

Bella looked at the rings and then up at the ceiling and then the window. I furrowed my brow and looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"Is there a spotlight on them?"

I chuckled, "It's the sunlight. That's how they caught my attention."

"Edward," she whispered.

"Mi scusi, ci può mostrare questo anello?" (Excuse me, Can you show us this ring?)

"Certo, signore."

The salesman pulled out the tray that held the two rings I wanted and placed it on a black cloth in front of us. He looked at Bella's engagement ring and gestured to her, asking if it was okay to place the diamond band on her finger. Bella nodded and he placed the delicate ring on her finger and it fit perfectly, like it was meant to sit there. Bella covered her mouth and I looked up at her. She was smiling and had tears in her eyes.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Do you like this one, for me?" I picked up the thick gold band and tried it on. The gold looked good against my skin tone.

Bella ran her finger along the band and I looked up at her. She was smiling and she placed her hand on my cheek and kissed me. "I love it. It's perfect."

"We'll take these," I looked at the man and smiled.

He nodded and smiled at me. "Siete una bella coppia, così innamorato," he said before walking away. (You're a beautiful couple, so in love.)

I pulled Bella to me and kissed her lips softly before resting my forehead against hers.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered to me.

I smiled and moved my hand to her neck. I ran my thumb along her jaw and leaned in to kiss her again. "Ti amo, mia Bella."

Once the rings were packaged and paid for we walked toward the church. I remembered Father Domenic from the last time I was here with my grandmother. We walked inside and dipped our fingers in the holy water and crossed ourselves before sitting in the back pew. I said a quick Hail Mary and sat back on the bench. Bella prayed a little bit longer and then crossed herself before sitting back with me.

I looked around the church taking in the stained glass, the brick and stone that made up the walls. The floor was a mix of stone and mosaic tiles. And there was a huge chandelier that hung just above the altar and wooden beams across the ceiling. It is a magnificent church. Most churches these days are so modern that the mysticism of the religion is lost. It doesn't seem as serious as it did when I was little and I could smell the candles and the smoke as the priest walked up the aisle or the small bells that rang during communion. It is a comfort to find those things here.

I noticed Father Domenic enter through the front of the church and I wanted to catch him before he entered the confessional. I stood and took Bella's hand guiding her toward the front of the church.

"Father Dom," I said quietly.

He turned to me and smiled, "Edoardo, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I'm great, actually. This is my fiance, Isabella."

Father Domenic took Bella's hand in both of his, "Hello, Isabella."

"Father Domenic, it's lovely to meet you," Bella said with a smile.

"Edoardo, are you here for confession?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

I laughed, "No, I don't think we have enough time for that. But I do have a request."

Father Domenic ushered us toward a pew and gestured for us to sit. "Father Dom, Isabella and I would like to be married here, in this church, before we return to the United States."

Father Domenic frowned and looked at us both, "Is there a reason you want to be married so quickly? Do you not have a wedding date set for when you return home?"

"We do, our wedding is set for December at St. Michael's." I looked at Bella and she smiled, squeezing my hand. " I love Isabella, very much and I am very anxious to make her my wife. I don't want us to have to wait until December to belong to each other. And I, we, would like to be married in the same church as my grandparents."

Father Domenic was quiet for a few minutes. "I am very fond of your grandparents. They have helped the church a great deal in hard times."

He nodded as if he just come to a conclusion. "Be here, tomorrow at six a.m., and I will marry you." He stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. "It won't count as being official, but in your eyes and in the eyes of God you will be man and wife."

"Thank you," he nodded and walked toward the confessionals.

I picked her up and kissed her and she had the most beautiful smile on her face. "Soon," I said.

She kissed me again and whispered, "I can't wait," against my lips.

Bella and I would be married in 15 hours.

AN: Kind of a fluffy, sappy chapter. I was having a hard time getting it to flow. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it is what it is. The next chapter will get things moving again.

Also, I'm kinda hooked on some Jasper / Bella fics at the moment: Masquerade by Erratic Hippie & Bitemarks & Bloodstains by forthelongestday. Amazing and exciting. They can be found on .

Thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter.

Happy reading! RR244


	11. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~Bella~~

Edward and I went out to dinner when we left the church. We talked and planned and Edward told me that the men in the family figured out what we were doing and I panicked a little. Men are usually pretty oblivious, so if his dad figured it out, we'd be lucky if we could get out of the house tomorrow.

But Edward told me he was pretty sure his dad was eavesdropping on us last night. That was a surprise to me. At first I couldn't figure out why his dad would listen in on our conversation and it made me a little angry that he didn't respect our privacy. But when I stepped back and thought about it, I could see why he would want to listen to us. He wanted to make sure that I was on the level. That I wasn't using his son or putting his family in danger.

I knew that he had run an extensive background check on me. And honestly, I can see where he's coming from. A cop's kid, spotless record, no friends, no family...it's no surprise he would question my loyalties. So I couldn't stay angry with Carlisle. He was looking out for his family, for his son. I could respect that.

However, I wondered if he had listened in on us before. I tried to think back on anything that I had said or done that would have caused concern. Jasper seemed to be okay with me and we were slowly becoming friends. Anything Jasper wanted to know, he asked point blank and I always answered him. I haven't given him any reason to doubt me.

But Carlisle didn't know me. He had a family to worry about, first and foremost. There was no room for mistakes, an error on his part could cause catastrophic events. So when this girl falls into their lives with no warning, it's not surprising that he would be wary. Hopefully, after hearing us talk the other night he will feel more trusting of me. Maybe one day he'll even come to consider me family.

A car picked us up from the restaurant and took us back to the house. When we walked in, the entire family was seated in the family room. I was immediately on alert thinking something had happened. Edward didn't seem to think much of it and pulled me with him to sit on the couch.

"What's up?" Edward asked casually and I stared at him incredulously. Does nothing bother this man?

He looked up at me and asked, "What?"

I just shook my head and looked at everyone. Carlisle had a smile on his face, well he looked like he wanted to laugh but he graciously held it in.

"So..." I said quietly, "is everything okay?"

"What were the two of you up to today?" Esme asked with narrowed eyes.

I smiled and looked at Edward. He just nodded so I turned back to Esme, "we found our rings and went to the church to have them blessed. And we shopped and did some sightseeing before having dinner. It was a great day. Such a beautiful city."

I looked at Edward who smiled and kissed my hand. "I want to take Isabella to the Islands for a couple of days. I thought we could leave early tomorrow and maybe come back on Friday."

I frowned, this is the first I'd heard about going to an island. I looked at Jasper and he had a serious look on his face, as did Carlisle. Jasper made eye contact with me but the look on his face didn't change. I nodded, understanding that whatever made Jasper & Carlisle upset was probably something I didn't need to question. But I couldn't help but be a little happy that Edward had just made it possible for us to leave the house early enough to make our morning appointment.

We talked a little more before heading to our room. Edward told me to pack a bag because we would really be going to the islands tomorrow for a mini honeymoon. I can't believe I will be a married woman tomorrow. And the crazy thing is, I can't imagine my life any other way.

Early the next morning, Edward and I got ready quietly not wanting to disturb anyone. The anticipation was thick in the air and my stomach in knots. In just a few short hours, I would be Isabella Cullen.

I carefully placed my dress over my weekend bag so Edward could take it to the car. As he walked out of the room, I sat down to put my shoes on and the door opened. I looked up to see Francesca standing in the doorway. She looked around and then walked into the room quickly.

She handed me a box and nodded at me. I pulled off the lid to see a piece of lace folded in the box. I pulled it out and it unrolled revealing a pearl headpiece. It was a very simple comb that would be easily placed in a bride's hair and the veil itself was at least six feet long. "Isa," Francesca took my hand in hers, "this is the veil I wore when I married Santo. I had the pearls and comb replaced for you." She ran her fingers over the delicate lace, "I want you to wear this when you marry Edoardo. It is yours to wear and pass on." She leaned in and kissed both of my cheeks, "benvenuto al nostro famiglia."

She smiled and squeezed my hand before walking out of the room. I stared after her for a moment before running my fingers over the lace again. Edward walked into the room not two minutes after she left.

"Baby, you ready?" I folded the lace and nodded. Edward held my face in his hands and kissed me. And when he pulled away, his smile was more than I would ever need to know that what we were doing was right.

When we got to the church we had a few minutes before six a.m. I asked to use the bathroom and carried my dress and the veil inside with me. The dress I found was a white satin crepe slip dress with a draped skirt. It was simple but beautiful and airy. The creamy color was perfect against my tanned skin. I couldn't wait for Edward to see me in it. The nude colored heel I was wearing went with the dress perfectly. I looked in the mirror and smiled. My excitement grew as I finished dressing.

And then I pulled out the veil. I had twisted a small knot into my hair so the comb would hold. I pulled a piece of the lace over my face and then straightened the rest of it around me, watching the back of the veil drop to the floor.

My heart was beating quickly now in anticipation. In a few minutes, I would be marrying Edward. I closed my eyes and let the happiness wash through me. It has been so long since I've been genuinely happy, since I'd had any feelings about anything. But this man makes me feel happy, safe, loved.

The pain of losing my father was there, I was sad that he wouldn't be walking me down the aisle but I think it helped that Edward and I were doing this alone. It made me realize that Edward was the man I could count on to take care of me now. I would never be alone again.

I felt a quick, cool breeze surround me and I closed my eyes. I smiled knowing that it was my dad's love that swept past me in the small, windowless bathroom. I knew my dad was here with me.

I walked out of the small room and into the church. Edward stood at the front of the church with Father Domenic. He wore a black suit with an ivory tie. He hadn't shaved this morning and the shadow of stubble made him look incredibly sexy. And his green eyes were locked on mine.

I smiled and shrugged. He raised an eyebrow and licked his lips making me laugh. As I walked up the aisle toward him, a movie reel of our future was playing in my mind - Our home, me pregnant, small boys with their fathers eyes running through the house, a baby girl in my husband's arms...I couldn't wait.

I smiled brightly as I took his hand, my eyes watering a bit.

He leaned in and kissed my cheek, "bellissima."

Father Domenic started to speak as Edward pulled away. I honestly tried to listen to him but my whole being was focused on the man standing next to me.

Edward handed Father Domenic the rings and he blessed them. Then we said our vows to each other and placed our rings on each other's fingers. And then Edward moved the veil away from my face and kissed me, tying me to him forever. There was a warmth that filled my body at that moment and I didn't know if I would ever be happier. 

As he pulled away, I smiled and hugged my husband. _My husband_. And then I turned and hugged Father Domenic because I was so happy. He laughed and gave me his congratulations before turning to shake Edward's hand.

As he and Edward talked quietly, I looked around the church. It was empty, save for us and the corners were dark because the morning light had not entered this side of the grounds yet. I smiled knowing I would never forget this moment. I would always remember when my forever with Edward began.

I was turning back toward Edward and Father Domenic when something moved in my periphery. I stilled but didn't turn toward the movement. I casually wrapped an arm inside Edward's suit jacket and waited. For what, I wasn't sure but there was something there. I could feel it.

It was still for a few more moments before I saw the shadow move again. I couldn't see the face but the form was huge and the posture was tense. A hand started to lift and the light caught the glint of metal in his hand. I didn't hesitate. I pulled the gun out of Edward's waist band and aimed at the figure firing two shots in quick succession. The man hit the wall. His eyes wide with surprise as he slid down the back wall, leaving a trail of red.

Edward turned to me and looked at the gun in my hand and then toward the back wall. He lowered my arm and placed me behind him. Father Domenic rushed toward the man I'd shot and kicked the gun away from his hand. He checked over his body before he began praying. Everything was moving in slow motion. Edward was speaking to me but I couldn't hear the words. He pulled me into him and wrapped an arm tightly around me.

Edward had pulled out his cell phone and called someone. Another man ran into the church from the side entrance. I lifted my arm and aimed the gun at his head, adrenaline rushing through my body. It was a miracle I didn't pull the trigger because my fight instinct was in overdrive.

"Baby, that's Demetri," he said quietly in my ear pushing my arm down again. "Give me the gun, Bella."

I let my hand loosen its grip as Edward's hand trailed slowly down my arm before taking the gun from me. I hadn't taken my eyes off of Demetri. My senses were finally coming back to me and I was starting to shake uncontrollably. Edward wrapped me in his arms and rubbed circles on my back.

Demetri finally spoke. "Edward, there were three of them outside of the church. I took down two of them but the other guy slipped in here before I could get to him."

Edward nodded his head in the direction of the dead man, "He's one of Felix's guys."

I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. I could see black on the edges of my vision and I knew my body was starting to shut down. My body must have gone limp because Edward picked me up and cradled me to him. He walked with me to the bathroom and dabbed a wet towel over my face and neck. He cooed in my ear asking me to breath, to try to slow my heartbeat. His fingers ran soothing circles on my neck, massaging away the stress. I don't know how long we were in the bathroom before I started regaining my senses.

"I need to change my dress," I said quietly.

Edward unzipped my dress and kissed my shoulder. He held it as I stepped out of it and then he placed it back into the garment back. He pulled out the comb that held the veil in my hair and his fingers massaged my scalp lightly before combing through my hair. His hands ran down my arms as his eyes ran over my body. His thumbs grazed my stomach as he reached my hands and he whispered something under his breath. He reached behind me to grab the navy dress I had worn earlier this morning and helped me into it, fastening the buttons and smoothing it out. I took a deep breath as he finished helping me dress.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Overwhelmed and a little freaked out." I closed my eyes and hugged him, resting my forehead on his chest. "I've never shot anyone before."

He nodded and ran his hands up and down my back. "We'll talk about it later. We need to get out there."

I nodded and watched as Edward grabbed my oversized bag and handed it to me. The garment bag he held was folded in half. When we stepped out of the bathroom, Demetri was standing there waiting.

He held his hand out to Edward who handed him the garment bag and my purse. "Can you put these in the car for me?"

Demetri nodded and gave me a soft smile before walking away. I rolled my neck and shoulders knowing that I would have to be in control before seeing Jasper and Carlisle. Edward needed me to be strong, he needed me to be the wife that this lifestyle required. I took a deep breath and looked up at Edward.

His face had already transformed into the man I met in the warehouse. Hard, emotionless, strong, calculating. I imagined my face looked much the same. I gave him a quick nod and we walked into the church, hand in hand.

~~U~~

_~~Edward~~_

When we walked out of the bathroom, Demetri was standing there waiting. I'm sure my father sent him and this meant that we would have a guard until this was resolved. Fucking Felix couldn't leave well enough alone but he fucked with the wrong person this time. He put my wife in danger and I would not forgive that. Fuck the consequences, he would not be walking around much longer.

I looked at Bella to make sure she was okay as we made our way over to my father. Bella's face was blank. There was no sign that she had just killed a man or that she had nearly passed out in the bathroom. She was pushing it all down knowing that she couldn't show weakness in front of the others. Knowing that I would take care of her later, when she would be able to break down. I would need to get her a drink soon though. I know her nerves were out of control and she needed a little something to take the edge off.

We've all felt it, that internal battle that comes with your first kill. And while I understood that she was upset, I couldn't help remembering how fucking hot she looked holding that gun. Holding my gun. There was no hesitation on her part. She saw the threat and handled it, just like I would. Fucking hot. Maybe she would pose like that again for me later, in lingerie... Fuck, I had to adjust myself at the thought.

As we got closer to everyone, Jasper caught my eye and I couldn't stop the smile from breaking through. He fucking knew what was going through my head at the moment. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitch. Like I said, the image is so fucking hot.

My dad walked up to me and looked me over before turning to Bella and wrapping her in a hug. Bella had no idea what her taking out that bastard meant. I'm sure she just thought she was doing right by protecting us. But to my father... well, let's just say that this cleared his mind of any lingering distrust he held toward her. She had killed to protect the family. Not to mention that she had taken the guy out with two clean shots.

My father kissed both of her cheeks and asked if she was okay. She nodded and he kissed her forehead pulling her back into a hug. He was whispering in her ear and I turned to look at Jasper who gave me a long, hard look before nodding his head toward the door.

As we made our way outside, I noticed Father Domenic was sitting in one of the pews praying while Demetri and another guy were carrying the body out of the church. It was already wrapped in plastic and they were moving toward the back of the church. There was even a guy scrubbing the wall. I'm guessing my father didn't want to disrespect the church by leaving the blood to stain.

Jasper pulled out a cigarette and offered me one. We lit up and stood in the courtyard for a couple minutes before Jasper spoke.

"You know he's explaining to her about the family."

I nodded. I expected it. We are married now and normally she would only receive information that was absolutely necessary for her to know. How she would need to act in front of other family members. That she was never, under any circumstances, to speak to the police. But the fact that she just killed a man that worked for another family created a whole new set of rules. And my father decided to handle this himself. My father was accepting her as his daughter. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or scared shitless.

"What will this mean for her? Now that she is my wife."

Jasper took a long drag on his cigarette and looked around before moving a little closer to me. He looked me in the eye and spoke just loud enough for me to hear him.

"She is a Cullen now, regardless of your marriage. She has declared her loyalty to the family. It doesn't matter that she didn't know what she was doing. He will expect nothing less from her even if your marriage fails. She's in. It's done," he clapped me on the back when he was done.

I looked at the ground and a million thoughts were running through my mind. The most prominent thought was, 'what would he expect from her?' I can't even think of her being out there playing the game. She's too innocent, too naïve to anticipate what could happen. I wouldn't survive if something happened to her.

"Hey, if it helps. I don't think he will ever use her for anything. It's a formality. He was nervous about her. Wasn't sure if he could trust her or if she would turn you against the family. This proves she won't. She can't." He took another drag on his cigarette and chuckled before snuffing it out against the brick wall. "Besides, he's too fucking worried about having grandkids to put Isa in danger."

I looked at him like he was crazy. "We've only been married for an hour. When the fuck is he expecting these kids to pop out?"

Jasper was full on laughing now, probably at the look of horror on my face. "Tomorrow, fucker. Don't think Mom isn't already trying to convince Isa that she's pregnant. Rose told me that she and Nonna Cesca were laying into her at breakfast yesterday."

"Fuck," I rolled my neck and shoulders. Bella and I hadn't even talked about kids yet. I want them. But that is a fairly recent development. I never thought about them before and didn't think I'd ever want any. Fuck. Well, at least I have until December to get used to the idea before my mom starts harassing me. She won't want Bella to be pregnant walking down the aisle, we are good Catholics after all. I let out a short laugh and hit my brother's arm.

"Come on, let's get this shit taken care of."

"Did you see where she fucking got him?" Jasper asked as we walked toward the doors. "Two shots, one to the heart and one to the head. Father Dom said it took thirty seconds at most. She's a good fucking shot, man. Did you know she could work a gun like that?"

I laughed out loud and took a drag on my cigarette. "Shut the fuck up, you know what I meant," he said laughing.

"Yeah, it was fucking quick. She had an arm wrapped around me, inside of my jacket. Next thing I know, I feel her pull the gun out and by the time I looked at her she had already let go of the first shot. Man, I don't think I've ever been so fucking turned on in my life."

Jasper laughed but didn't say more as we walked back inside.

As we finished up and headed outside, I gave Bella a quick kiss before putting her in Demetri's car and moving toward the car with my father and Jasper. My father and Jasper were meeting with Antonio Aro today so we decided that the rest of the family would go to Lipari tonight and my father and Jasper would meet up with us after their meeting. Everything after that was dependent on the outcome of the meeting with Antonio Aro.

I looked out the window going over all of the ways this could play out. But the one thing that was certain, this was just the beginning.

~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U~~U

AN: Hello everyone! So what'd you think? I was really tempted to do the whole _Godfather_ scene where the daughter dies in front of the concert house...seriously. But I just couldn't do it. These kids need a happy ending.

Thanks to all of you for reading! And for the story alerts and reviews.

Until next time, RR244


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

~~Edward~~

When we arrived at the house, my father told everyone to pack their things. We were met by confused faces until my father ordered my grandfather, Jasper and I to the library.

My mother's face cleared as she ushered Rosalie toward the stairs. Bella had been clinging to me since we'd gotten out of the cars and I knew she was not going to go upstairs alone. I led her to the bar and pulled out the scotch and two glasses.

I handed her a glass and she threw it back in one shot, wincing when the heat hit her. Her eyes were watering but I handed her the second glass. She took a slow drink and swirled the remaining alcohol around in the glass. She took a shaky breath and asked, "You don't need me in there, do you?"

I shook my head, "No. We are leaving tonight. We'll talk more later, okay? I have to get in there."

She nodded before placing a kiss over my heart and walking away. I noticed my grandmother was standing by the stairs waiting for her. I bowed my head to her in thanks and she gave me a small smile. I rolled my neck and shoulders before walking into the library and shutting the door.

My grandfather, father, and Jasper were already sitting and there were four glasses on the table in front of them. I picked up a glass as I sat down and we all said, "Salud." The liquid burned going down but it had the desired effect by loosening us up.

My father stood and said, "Alright, we need to discuss what happened this morning. This is going to change the way we go into the meeting with Aro tonight."

My grandfather was leaning back in his chair and I could see the scary fucker that lurked just beneath the surface. "Edoardo, tell us what happened this morning."

I leaned forward and told them about arriving at the church, the quick ceremony and then Bella shooting the asshole that worked for Felix. I couldn't help but feel proud of Bella for her quick reaction to the threat. I had not been aware of the man in the church and we could have easily be dead right now if it hadn't been for her awareness and quick thinking.

My father nodded and then sat on the edge of his desk with his arms folded over his chest. "Isabella told me that while you were taking your congratulations from Father Domenic she noticed a movement in the shadows. When she realized the person had a gun, she pulled your gun and shot. Is that true?"

"Yes, I felt her tense and she wrapped her arms around my waist, inside of my jacket. Within seconds I felt her pull my gun and when I looked at her she had already let go of the first shot. The second shot was gone when I turned toward the bastard at the back of the church. She even aimed her gun at Demetri's head when he ran in a few minutes later."

He nodded. "Okay, I've talked to her. Explained a few things to her but she is your wife and I will not discuss anything more with her without talking to you first. And you will need to answer any questions she'll have. I have accepted her as my daughter and I will give her the family token when we get back to Chicago."

It was done. She was part of the family. I let out a deep breath and nodded. I walked over to my father and kissed the ring on his right hand before he hugged me and kissed both of my cheeks. "Well done, Edward."

We were in the room for another hour going over every detail for the meeting. My father had been trying to get a hold of Marcus Buccieri, but he was nowhere to be found. This made everyone a little uncomfortable, he is Bella's uncle but that doesn't mean he wouldn't double cross her to save his family. My father decided he would need to play it by ear. We all agreed that he was up to something and my father had people watching his house for more information.

Emmett and I were going to take the family to Lipari and we would have a small guard with us. Demetri and Paul would be with Bella and I permanently until this was settled. We felt that it would be a good fit since Bella and Paul were already comfortable with one another.

My grandfather and father would be meeting with Aro. Jasper was going to be in the city but not included in the meeting. With Jasper being the next in line, my father wanted a contingency plan. Originally, Jasper and Carlisle were going to meet with Antonio Aro. But the attack this morning made him feel that the family would be too vulnerable if they both presented themselves.

I was responsible for transporting our family. If something did go wrong, Jasper would contact me and I would get everyone out of the country. I felt like shit sending my father and grandfather into a meeting with a rival family but I understood that by keeping Jasper and I out of the meeting, my father was securing the future of our family. I didn't want to have to explain to my mother or my grandmother that their husband's were dead, just like I would never want someone to have to deliver that news to Bella but this is our way of life.

We met everyone in the living room after our meeting and started moving luggage to the cars. My grandmother and Bella sat together with hard looks on their faces. My mother and Rosalie looked worried. Emmett ushered them into the cars while I waited for my grandmother to say her goodbyes. She and my grandfather were the strongest people I knew, besides my parents. And the love that emanated from them gave me hope that Bella and I would be the same way in fifty years.

I turned my attention to Bella who had a soft smile on her face as she watched my grandparents. When she met my eyes, I moved my head slightly indicating I wanted her to come over to me. She walked slowly and wrapped her arms around me when she was close enough. "Okay?" I asked her.

She nodded and lifted her head indicating she wanted me to kiss her. I placed a soft kiss on her lips, "Let's get moving."

She grabbed her purse and another small bag and walked out the front door. There were three cars outside. Demetri would be driving Bella and me, Paul would drive my mother and grandmother, and Lou was driving Emmett and Rosalie. I helped Bella into the car before walking over to my father. We said our goodbye's and he told me to be on the look out for anything out of the ordinary. I nodded and shook his hand and went to do the same with my grandfather.

As I walked back toward the car, I noticed Jasper was leaning in talking to Bella. I saw her nod and then kiss Jasper's cheek. I've noticed that over the past month or so, they have gotten close. Jasper doesn't go out of his way to avoid her and she never shies away from a conversation with him. It's actually quite surprising how differently Jasper acts with Bella. He treats her like a little sister. I've never seen him act soft with anyone. Hell, even I am scared of Jasper when he's angry. But it seems like Bella is able to tame the beast in all of the Cullen men.

I clapped a hand on Jasper's back and he turned slightly to look at me. "I just gave Isa a present that she is to keep with her at all times."

I nodded but didn't say anything. I know Bella is still shaken up about this morning, but it is important that she can protect herself.

"See you guys later," Jasper said before walking away.

I watched him walk away and took a deep breath. I hope to hell everyone gets home from this trip in one piece.

_~~Carlisle~~_

I stood at the window and watched my family drive away. This mornings events have completely fucked up my day. Fucking Felix Aro. Who the hell does he think he is sending people to kill my son while he gets married? What kind of sick fuck plans something like that? Well, _he_ fucked with the wrong family. He will learn that soon enough.

And my daughter, Isabella. Magnificent. I can just imagine her pulling the gun and shooting that asshole in the head. Edward must be in heaven right now with that image playing over and over in his mind. I remember seeing Esme do the same thing years ago, magnificent. Cullen men have never had trouble finding strong, fiery women. Now, Jasper needs to find his match. Jasper is such a complicated person and he needs just the right woman to balance him out.

My son is a lot like me, his brain never shuts down. He thinks through every angle, every possible move, just like a game of chess. He is also destined to take over this family. He will need an extremely strong woman to stand beside him. This position is a blessing and a curse. Luckily, Jasper has his brother to help him. It is more than I had when I was his age. And Isabella is already very important to Jasper. I don't think she realizes how important she is to my eldest son. I think she and Edward will be good advisers for him.

"Hey, Pops," Jasper called out as he walked into the room.

I turned toward my son and swirled the drink in my hand. "How's Isabella?" I asked him. Her first kill, it will take her some time to work through it.

"She's a little shaken up." Jasper walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. "I got the feeling that she was struggling with the excitement of what happened and the sadness that she took a life." Jasper shrugged and took another drink. "She'll be okay. Ed will help her through it."

I nodded. Edward is good at talking people down from the ledge. However, his temper is lethal when it's set free and Felix Aro definitely set it off today. Edward was relatively calm today, but I suspect that was for Isabella's sake.

Jasper stood next to me at the window and we slowly drained our glasses. "You ready for this?" Jasper asked.

I nodded. "Alec got into town yesterday. Your grandfather and I will go in there with five guards. They are going to take our weapons," I said while thinking through my options. "You'll be in the building across the street with Alessandro. We will sit so that we are angled toward you. I will open my pocket watch if there is a problem. If you hear shots, shoot anyone who walks out the door."

Jasper nodded and was quiet for a few moments. I looked at the time and noticed we had about thirty minutes before we needed to leave.

"I'm going to shower. I'll meet you and Santo down here in twenty."

~~U~~

We walked into the restaurant to find Antonio Aro, Alec Aro and a few guards. I motioned for Donnie to check the bathrooms and kitchen before greeting the Aro's. Donnie walked out and nodded slightly before taking his stance at the hallway that led to the bathrooms and kitchen.

"So Carlisle, what's brings you to Italy?"

"Just a vacation," I clapped my hand on my father's shoulder. "Trying to convince the old man here to come back to Chicago with me."

Antonio laughed, "It's too beautiful here to leave." Santo and Antonio exchanged a few words about the climate and each others spouses before the rest of us joined in. We made small talk while the waiter brought out food and drinks. When the waiter finally walked away we all tensed a little for the conversation.

"So, I hear my grandson is causing problems." Antonio said matter of factly.

I nodded. "Yes, he has approached my family and made some threats."

"And today? At the church?"

"Yes, the guard was recognized as working for Felix."

"I see," Antonio was quiet. He turned toward Alec with narrowed eyes. Alec nodded his head and looked at his father.

"Antonio, Alec, vogliamo risolvere questo pacificamente. Come possiamo farlo?" I asked wanting to see if they would reveal anything. (We want to resolve this peacefully. How can we do that?)

My father sat and watched while adjusting in his seat every so often. I have not ever seen my father so uneasy but I chose to ignore it for now and put all of my attention to the men across from me.

Alec and Antonio shared a look and then Alec took a drink of his wine before leaning in my direction. "Why is this girl so important to you?"

I raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "She is engaged to my son," I answered simply. I refused to give him an emotional reason for wanting to keep Isabella with us. And if he knew about the church today, then he probably knows it was Isabella that took out the guard. That makes her ours.

Alec took a deep breath and lowered his voice, "Marcus Buccieri came to me asking that I spare his niece." I raised my eyebrows at this. I had been looking for Marcus since we arrived in Italy and he had all but disappeared. "He offered us an exchange, so to speak, for Isabella."

I turned my head slightly to look at my father. He was still now, he stared straight at Alec and narrowed his eyes. "Che tipo di scambio?" (What type of exchange?)

Antonio decided to speak as Alec did not look happy about this arrangement. Antonio placed a hand on the arm of his son and said, "Marcus came to us asking that we leave Isabella to her new life. He explained about her mother and father and how Isabella has just recently started to live again." He paused to take a drink, "Renee has a sixteen year old daughter. We were not aware of this fact and it appears that the girl is named Alexandra Aro."

My eyes traveled from one man to the other searching for the truth of their words. Alec's face was clear but for the slight tightening of his eyes and Antonio just looked sad. "Yes, apparently someone from our family found her all of those years ago. And instead of following orders, they took it upon themselves to do other things. We are taking care of it."

Antonio stopped talking as the waiter placed our dinner in front of us. As the waiter moved around the table, I let myself think about this daughter that Antonio spoke of. Is it true? Why didn't he tell us this when we were in Chicago? He sat under my roof and stayed in my son's home while he withheld pertinent information. I don't like being taken advantage of or being lied to in my own home.

I grabbed my napkin and laid it in my lap before looking up at the rest of the table. I noticed a man walking outside of the restaurant. He was walking quickly and had his hands in his pockets. I looked up at Donnie and he nodded signaling that he saw the man. He reached for the door and we all tensed, readying ourselves for the threat. When the man walked inside he finally looked up, his eyebrows rose in surprise and he took his hands out of his pockets slowly. One of Antonio's guards walked up to him and patted him down before allowing him to walk over to us.

I remained still not giving away that I knew the man. He walked over slowly and stood at the end of the long table. His head was down and his hands were trembling. I looked over at my father who was watching the other men at the table, trying to get a read on what the hell was going on.

"Peter, what are you doing here?" Alec asked sounding agitated.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner," his eyes glanced at all of us and when he met mine his face lost its color. "Renee has disappeared and she's taken Alexandra with her."

"That fucking woman," Alec said as he stepped away from the table and began making calls.

I took a drink of my wine and looked over at Peter who had sweat beading on his forehead and looked like he was ready to pass out.

"Peter," Santo said quietly, "sit down before you pass out, boy." The waiter brought Peter a glass of water and he drank half of the glass in one drink.

Alec walked back over and took control of the table. He looked over at his father and said, "Tony's on it." Antonio nodded and shook his head.

Alec turned his attention to me, "Carlisle, we have decided to take Alexandra into the family and we will no longer pursue Isabella."

I raised an eyebrow knowing there was a _but_ coming.

"However, Felix is a loose cannon. He did not agree with our decision and we have been unable to locate him since yesterday."

Fuck.

"I also have reason to believe he is following your family. More specifically, Edward and Isabella," Alec closed his eyes for a moment as if he was making a decision and running all of the outcomes through his head. He finally looked at me and said, "Listen, Felix is fucking nuts. Sal dying seriously fucked him up and he was the one who found Saly in that room. I don't think there is anything we can do to stop him. He has his sight set on Isabella and he will take out anyone who stands in his way to get to her." He leaned forward placing his hands on the table. "I do not want a war between our families. We would prefer you bring him to us alive if you find him but if he is a threat to you, we will look the other away on this one. This one time."

I maintained eye contact with Alec and nodded. Antonio had a frown on his face and I knew he did not like his son's decision but fuck if I wasn't going to make sure we acted on it. My father was watching Peter who was sitting very quietly at the end of the table. His hands were trembling as he played with the napkin in front of him.

My father glanced over at me signaling we needed to leave. After a few more moments we said our goodbyes and walked out of the restaurant. A car pulled up to the curb quickly and I leaned away ready to pull my gun but Jasper jumped out of the driver seat. "Change of plans," he said as he opened the door for us.

~~Edward~~

We were sitting on the runway waiting for the plane to take off. My entire family was on this plane that was arranged last minute. Everyone was pretty subdued considering how quick our plans changed this afternoon.

Jasper called and told me he thought there were tracking devices on the cars. So we ditched them for different ones and then changed directions and headed for the airport. Now it was just a matter of getting to Chicago in one piece. We needed to be back home, where we could better protect ourselves.

When my father got on the plane earlier, he looked straight at me and said, "Take care of it."

Done deal. Felix is dead. The crazy fucker that lives in my head had been ready to come out and play for awhile now and I couldn't wait. Felix Aro would be sorry he fucked with me and mine.

I rolled my neck as the flight went on. It was a long fucking flight and I was getting restless. I needed to start planning and searching. There were too many people on this plane for me to flesh out my ideas with Jasper.

So I started running through it in my head. If Felix was anything like me, he would go back to point A - Chicago. He already knows Isabella's schedule, what time she goes into work, when and where she eats lunch, where she lives and when she's with me. And I need to know how he has so much fucking information. I'm running this through in my mind and I start creating a list of people. The blond receptionist, the dress maker, Peter...

Starting with Blondie, she knows Bella's schedule, phone number, address. Who she is with during the day, how many of my guys are with her. It's that how Felix was able to surprise Paul that day? Bella said that she was flirting with him that day and she had been surprised when Bella and I walked in together after lunch. And if Felix knew Bella's schedule, it would be easy for him to walk into the gallery and sweet talk Blondie when Bella's out of the office. Well, that's the first thing to take care of. Find out more about Blondie. Same thing with the dress maker and we are already looking into the Buccieri clan.

Secondly, I'll need to update the security systems, check the phone lines and have someone check her computers at her office and her home. I'm tempted to move her out of the apartment but the security desk and cameras make me think she'd be safer there. No one can get past security without checking in and there are usually a lot of people in the lobby making it difficult to kill the guy to get to her floor. No, we'll stay at the apartment but I'll amp up the security and cameras. Bella shifted in my arms pulling my attention away from planning.

"Ah, my neck..." she whispered.

"Hold on, baby, don't move too fast," I placed a hand on her neck and helped her sit up slowly. I nodded to the stewardess asking for a warm cloth while gently rubbing my fingers along her neck.

"That feels good, thank you," Bella said quietly.

I didn't answer her as the flight attendant walked up with a warm towel and I placed it on Bella's neck while moving my fingers along her shoulders hoping to help loosen her up a little so that her neck wouldn't bother her too much.

We sat like that for a few minutes until Bella was able to move a little bit. "Better?" I asked.

She turned to me and smiled. "Yes, thank you." She leaned in and kissed me chastely. She never pushed the limits with my family around. I kissed her again quickly as I had the sudden urge to devour my wife. I leaned closer kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear, "follow me."

I pulled her toward the back of the plane. I pushed her up against the wall across from the bathroom and closed the curtain that separated us from the seating area. Her hands immediately went to my hair and my hands went to her ass pulling her body closer to me. My mouth was on hers but I wasn't rough or hurried, I simply wanted to taste her, savor her. Her tongue danced with mine as her fingers played with my hair. I was already hard just kissing her but I didn't want to fuck her on a plane with my family just out of earshot. I also didn't want our first time as husband and wife to be outside of a bathroom.

We slowly pulled away from each other and I rested my forehead against hers. She smiled at me softly and continued playing with my hair. "I love you," she said quietly.

I smiled back at her, "I know."

She shook her head but her eyes were happy. Even with all of the shit we'd been through today, she was happy.

"Mrs. Cullen," I whispered, "I can't wait to get you home."

She rested her head against the wall looking up at me. She ran a hand along the collar of my shirt before resting it on my chest. "Mrs. Cullen...I love how that sounds."

"Mmmhmm," I said kissing her again. "I'm sorry we didn't get any time to ourselves today."

She shook her head, "Not your fault."

"How are you feeling about everything?"

"Okay, it will take some time to come to terms with what happened but I wouldn't do anything differently. I won't let anyone hurt you or take you away from me. I would do it again."

"Where did you learn to shoot?"

She smiled and looked over my shoulder, looking into her memories, "My dad." She laughed a little, "The first time he took me to the range I was sixteen. I was nervous and when I took my first shot alone, I ended up hitting someone else's target."

I hugged her and she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I hate to think of what could have happened if you hadn't noticed that something was off." She held me a little tighter.

"We are fine. Everything is okay, not quite the memory I wanted on my wedding day but it's a good story to tell the grandchildren," she said, teasing me.

I snorted, "While it may not be a memory for a wedding, the image of you holding that gun is the sexiest fucking thing I have ever seen." I leaned into her kissing her neck and moving up toward her ear, taking her earlobe in my mouth. She shivered and let a little gasp escape before turning her head and kissing me fiercely.

I heard someone cough and slowed us down. "We better get back out there."

She nodded and kissed me once more. "I'm going to use the bathroom first." She stepped into the tiny bathroom and I waited for her against the wall leaning my head back and closing my eyes. My hands were in my pocket and I played with the coin my grandfather had given me this morning. Good luck indeed.

The curtain swung open and I opened my eyes turning to find Jasper standing there. "Damn, I was hoping to catch you guys doing something I could embarrass Isa with."

I laughed. "Not today, brother."

Bella opened the door and walked out. "Hey, Jasper."

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek, "You okay? No morning sickness?"

She hit his arm, "Not you too. We aren't pregnant," she told him before she looked at me and said, "yet."

My eyes almost popped out of my head at her comment and both she and Jasper laughed at me. She squeezed Jasper's arm before walking toward our seats.

"Everyone is meeting us at the house tonight to go over everything," Jasper said as he walked into the small bathroom.

I nodded and closed my eyes. Here we go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_AN: Sorry for the delay. Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate your words and encouragement! I've been a bit under the weather lately so haven't spent too much time on the computer. But I hope you like this. It's was a little hard to get it all together. Just to be clear, I'm sure a 'meeting of bosses' would never be this easy – but I also wanted to express that Felix is really pissing people off . Who knows what else he's been up to and if he is responsible for Renee and Alexandra's disappearance..._

_Until next time, RR244_


	13. Chapter 12

_I don't own them..._

~~Bella~~

It feels so good to be back home. We got home two days ago and things are just starting to hit me. I still can't believe I killed a man in Italy, on my wedding day. I want to feel bad for what I've done. I want to feel remorse for taking a life but I just don't feel it. That man walked into a church with a gun and the intention of killing my husband. I protected my husband, spilled blood for him, and I would do it again.

I became a part of the Cullen family in two ways that day. I married Edward, a man I thought I would never learn to love. And I killed a man that threatened my family. Carlisle made it clear that I was a Cullen and nothing would ever change that. Not even a divorce from my husband. Not that a divorce would even be allowed, but I refuse to dwell on that. Edward and I made vows to one another, to honor and cherish until death do us part. Let's just hope the death part doesn't come for a long, long time.

I haven't left my apartment in two days and everything from the past week has been on replay in my mind. I've cleaned, I've cooked, I've edited photographs, gone over the accounting for the gallery just to give myself a break from everything that is going on. I'm exhausted and overwhelmed and I miss Edward.

I haven't seen or talked to Edward since we got back from Italy and I have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on. Paul and Demetri are here all the time and there are new security guards downstairs. I have a new alarm system in my apartment and I'm pretty sure Demetri is hiding guns around here.

I actually found one in the refrigerator yesterday. I opened the crisper and there it was. I stared at it a long time before closing the refrigerator and walking over to the phone to order take out. Then I hung up on the take out person worried that the delivery guy would be carrying a gun and shoot me when I opened the door. My mind is going a million miles a minute and I'm not sure how to turn it off. Edward is the only one that can calm me down, but he isn't here. And I'm not sure how to do it myself. The wall I had kept securely around myself for so many years crumbled when I met Edward. And when he isn't with me, I get lost in my insecurities and fears.

Eventually, my hunger got the best of me and I went into the kitchen and started cooking. I'm not sure how long I was in there but I made a lot more food than what was necessary for two people. Paul joined me in the kitchen when he smelled the food. We ate dinner together and Paul talked about his girlfriend Rachel. He mentioned that he hadn't seen her in the past few weeks and she was pretty pissed off at him. I immediately felt bad that I was the reason he couldn't see her. My eyes watered and he shook his head.

"Bella, it isn't your fault some crazy asshole wants to kidnap you."

I frowned. No, it's my family's fault. "I still feel bad. Have you been able to talk to her?"

He nodded but frowned. "Not too much. I don't know if these assholes know who I am and I don't want to put her in any danger, you know?"

"Yeah," I pushed my plate away from suddenly not hungry anymore.

"You gonna eat that?" Paul asked.

I shook my head and he smiled and finished off my plate. "How can you eat all of that?"

"I'm a growing boy, Baby B."

I laughed and got up from the table. "Do you want cheesecake?"

"Of course."

I liked Paul, loved him like a brother. He's a good guy and I'm sure Rachel is a lucky girl to have him. I cut a slice of cheesecake and poured two cups of coffee. I placed a piece of cheesecake in front of him along with a cup of coffee. When he bit into it, he moaned.

"Damn, Bella, this is amazing. This is even better than Mrs. C's."

"Yeah?" I asked surprised.

He nodded, "but don't fucking tell her I said that."

I laughed again. "Okay, I'm gonna go change. I'll see you later. Call your girl."

"Thanks, B."

I could hear Paul moving around in the guest bedroom. All of the lights were off except for a small table lamp in the entry. I was sitting in a comfy oversized chair with a glass of wine watching the city in motion below. Red lights zooming by with traffic, traffic lights changing colors every few minutes, the colors reflecting dreamily on the asphalt due to a quick summer rain.

As I watched, I remembered how nice it was to be oblivious. While I love Edward and everything he is, I can't help but wonder how great our life would be if we had met outside of these circumstances. If Edward really was a real estate developer and I was just a photographer. Simple. Easy. But then again, Edward wouldn't be the Edward I know, would he? I sighed and took a drink of my wine.

The front door rattled and I heard a key slip into the door. I reached in between the chair cushion to grip the gun that was hidden there. My left hand held my wine glass and right hand gripped the handle of the gun releasing the safety. My God. What is wrong with me? The door rattles and I'm grabbing a gun? Maybe I'm just being paranoid. I mean, the person has a key. It could be Demetri, he said he would be right back. But then again...I haven't heard from him or Edward. And Paul didn't mention anything about guests earlier. How do I know we are safe? How do I know I am safe?

The door opened and the alarm beeped alerting the intruder that the alarm system was set. From where I sat. I couldn't see anything except the dining room and kitchen door in front of me. The alarm continued to beep and I gripped the gun tighter in my hand. It was taking too long to turn off the alarm. A four digit code take a few seconds to enter.

The beeping of the alarm finally stopped and my phone beeped at the same time. There was no movement from anyone. The person that entered was not visible from where I was sitting or the hallway where I hoped Paul was waiting. I heard footsteps moving toward me and I slowly lifted the gun aiming for the edge of the wall just where the person would appear. A black shoe came into view and I tried to keep my hand steady. I felt like my heart was beating its way out of my chest and I was gripping the wine glass so hard I was worried it was going to break. I took a breath trying to stay quiet.

A man stepped into my view but I couldn't see his face. The light from the entry way glowed behind him. My hand moved up to aim at his head. Then Paul was behind him with the gun pressed into his kidney.

"Fuck!" the guy called out under his breath when he felt Paul behind him.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Paul asked.

Paul turned on the light and I didn't recognize the man standing in my living room. I kept my gun aimed at him, put down my wine glass and picked up my phone to call Edward.

"Hey, baby," Edward answered.

"There's a man here. He has a key to the apartment and knew the alarm code."

"Is Paul there with you?" he asked, his voice icy.

"Yes."

"Tell Paul to make him comfortable. I'm on my way."

I tilted my head and looked at Paul, "make him comfortable. He's on his way."

Paul nodded and clocked the guy in the head with the butt of his gun. The guy fell heavily to the floor and all I could do was sit in my leather chair.

Carlisle's voice came into my head, "You are a Cullen now, Isabella."

~~Edward~~

"Motherfucker!" I yelled once I hung up the phone.

I haven't seen Bella in two goddamned days and the asshole sitting in front of me had been paying for that. I looked at him, his eyes were completely swollen shut, his nose broken, I think I may have broken his jaw. As I looked him over, I realized I had done a lot of damage to him. He had refused to talk to me for the first few hours but the beating he was taking wore on him. Along with the fact that I threatened to go after his wife and kid if he didn't give up the information I wanted.

He admitted that he worked for Felix and was supposed to watch outside of Bella's office and report when she came and went. He said there was also another guy sitting outside of her apartment. As well as security guards in her building.

While I'm sure there is more information I can get from him, I don't have the time now and he told me what I needed to know, Bella was being watched. I lifted my gun and shot him in the head. I looked over at Johnny and Alex who already had their shit ready to go. Fuck yes, I love efficiency.

I walked over to my car and removed the clothes I had on dropping them on the ground next to me. I pulled on another pair of slacks and a white button down. I picked up the soiled clothes and threw them in a metal trash can that was a few feet away from the car and threw in a match. I watched the flame for a minute before walking over to Johnny and Alex to let them know I was leaving.

I called Jasper once I was inside of my car.

"Yeah?"

"Hey fucker, Isa invited us over for a late dinner." My use of Isa and late dinner would be enough to tip him off that something's not right.

"Sounds good. I'm on my way."

I sped through the streets. It was already ten o'clock and not too much traffic for a Thursday night. I was running through my phone call with Bella telling myself that she was okay. She's safe and okay because she called me. She told me about the intruder and Paul was with her. She's okay. But my anger was still boiling under the surface. I stopped at a light and punched the steering wheel. A horn honked behind me and I gripped the steering wheel trying to calm myself. I pressed the gas, taking off as the light turned yellow. I needed to get a hold of myself before I got to the apartment.

I pulled into the parking garage and looked around. I drove slowly making my way up to the next level. I didn't see anyone lingering as I slowly made my way toward Bella's parking slots. I pulled in next to Bella's car. I rolled my shoulders and popped my neck before getting out of the car. I walked quickly to the elevator and pushed the button. I placed my hands in my pocket and played with the coin my grandfather gave me in Italy. I figured if it was lucky enough to save Bella and I then, it can't hurt to keep with me all the time.

When the doors opened, a blond guy walked out and looked at me with wide eyes. I raised an eyebrow at him as he passed me and I stepped into the elevator. I leaned against the back wall and watched him walk away. He was on his phone and he turned around to look at me again as he walked. So I figured either he's a nosy asshole or he's a cop. He's too clean cut to work for Felix and he didn't really fit the cop role but I've been wrong before. I'd get Paul to pull the security footage from the garage to find out who he is.

I finally made it to Bella's floor and pulled out my phone, calling her as I walked toward her door.

"Edward?" she sounded breathless.

"I just got off of the elevator."

Her door flew open and she walked into the hallway looking for me. She ran up to me and jumped. I automatically opened my arms to catch her. She hugged me tightly before pulling away to kiss me. I continued walking to her apartment as I kissed her knowing this wouldn't look out of the ordinary to someone watching us on the camera's. I wanted to enjoy the way her lips moved against mine but I was too preoccupied with the man inside of her apartment.

"Are you okay?" I asked against her lips.

"Scared, it was so easy for him to get in. And I was worried about you." She had tears running down her face and her hands were brushing through the hair at my neck. "I missed you," she whispered.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here." I walked into the apartment and closed the door behind me. I kissed Bella again before lowering her back to the ground.

"Jasper's on his way, he should be here in a few minutes. Where's Paul?" I asked. I looked around the entry way to see Bella's gun sitting on the table. I picked it up and gave it back to her. "Keep this with you."

She nodded and tilted her head toward the living room. I looked over to see a guy slumped over and tied to one of Bella's kitchen chairs. Duct tape covered his mouth and bound his wrists and ankles.

"Hey, Paulie," I called out to Paul who was sitting in the corner leaned back with his legs crossed in front of him. He was the picture of calm and relaxed. I looked around the room again to see that Paul had already laid plastic sheeting on the floor. The blinds were drawn and the furniture had been moved out of the way. I nodded, happy that he had already taken care of everything.

"What's up, Ed?" he called back with a head nod. The asshole in the chair jerked a little bit. Must be waking up.

"Just waiting on J."

"Alright."

I turned back to Bella and kissed her forehead and led her out of the living area.

"Are you hungry?" Bella asked. "Have you been eating? I can make dinner. Lasagna? Chicken Parmigiana?"

I didn't even answer her before she was pulling me into the kitchen. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me. "Baby, wait," I said as I picked her up and placed her on the counter, making her just a bit taller than me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to me. I just needed to feel her.

Her hands ran along my collar before resting just below my jaw. She angled my face up to hers and leaned her forehead against mine. "I missed you. I've been worried," she whispered against my lips.

I pulled her bottom lip between mine and kissed her softly. "I'm okay. I was working."

She nodded. "I know," her eyes watered and she closed her eyes shaking her head a little.

"Hey, I'll make sure I call you. I'll try to come home every night and if I can't, I'll call you. Okay?"

She nodded and gave me a small smile.

"I'll make it up to you later, Mrs. Cullen," I said quietly before grasping her face and kissing her. Bella moaned quietly and tangled her fingers in my hair. God, I missed this, I missed her and it had only been two fucking days.

The doorbell rang and I heard Jasper call out for me. I pulled away from Bella with one last kiss. "I love you. Let me take care of this and I'll come back to you, okay?" She smiled and hopped off the counter. "And make the chicken," I winked and made my way out of the kitchen.

Jasper was sitting on a chair facing the asshole that had broken into Bella's apartment. He had woken up when I was in the kitchen with Bella but he had no idea that Jasper or I were here until he saw us each walk into the room. His eyes went wide with fear and then acceptance. Fucker knew that he wouldn't be leaving here in one piece.

His eyes darted around the room that was void of furniture and wrapped in plastic. Bella had the radio on in the kitchen to cover the noise we would be making out here. I could already smell the spices from the sauce and I hoped this didn't take long because I'm fucking starving.

"So," Jasper said calmly, "what are you doing here?"

My brother is a scary motherfucker on any day of the week but even I am scared of him when he is calm. This guy has no idea what is going to hit him. He has no idea that Jasper thinks of Bella as his sister, he has no idea that my father has deemed Bella his daughter. I almost feel sorry for the guy. Almost, but not quite. I could see that Jasper was taking lead on this so I leaned back against the wall with my hands in my pockets and my ankles crossed. Might as well enjoy the show.

The guy just shook his head from side to side.

"Oh, can't talk? Paul remove the tape."

Paul ripped the tape off of his face and the guy yelled out. Jasper was immediately in his face, "Shut the fuck up. If you make one noise that I don't tell you to, I will start cutting off your fucking fingers. Do you understand?"

The guy nodded wide eyed and Jasper sat back down in the chair across from him. "What are you doing here?"

The guy gulped loudly, "I came for the girl."

My brother rolled his eyes, "No shit, asshole. Why the fuck did you come for her? Who sent you?"

"Um.." the guy was gulping again. "I don't know. Some guy offered me some cash to break in here and grab the girl."

I frowned and looked over the guy again. He was wearing long sleeves and he kept trying to shake his knee. A nervous gesture or maybe he needed a fix.

"And where were you going to take her?"

"I...I don't know. Someone was going to meet me outside."

"And how did you get the key and alarm code?" Jasper asked.

"The guy gave me the key and an adaptor for the alarm."

Jasper nodded and stared at the guy. After a minute, he started to squirm under Jasper's glare.

"Look man, I didn't know anyone was here, alright. No one has been in or out of this place in two days. I thought I could get in here and wait her out. You know, take her by surprise and get my money. That's it man. I wasn't going to do anything to her."

Jasper nodded again but I saw his left eye twitch. "And how did you get around the camera's?"

The guy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "One of the security guys shut them down while I made my way up here."

"Name?" Jasper asked. He didn't answer and Jasper nodded at Paul who punched the guy square in the face breaking his nose. I had to give the guy credit, he didn't yell out when Paul's fist connected with his face. His head fell back and he said fuck under his breath.

"Name?" Jasper asked again.

"I don't know his name. I don't know anyone's names. I don't know anything!"

Jasper looked at Paul and nodded again. Paul walked up behind him and wrapped a thin piece of rope around his neck. The asshole was crying and begging for his life but kept saying he didn't know anything. And he probably didn't. Fucker was probably set up. Whoever sent him in here probably knew that he would be caught and killed for his efforts. They just needed to test it out so they could plan their next move.

Jasper stood from his chair and turned his back on the guy and Paul pulled the rope tight around his neck. With his hands and feet bound, he couldn't really move. His face was turning blue with the lack of oxygen and his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull. His body jerked all over the place as he tried to free himself from the rope. After a while, he stopped moving and Paul dropped the rope before he snapped the guys neck.

I stood up and went over to help Paul. I cut the tape on his wrists and ankles and we lifted him. After placing him on the floor, I grabbed the chair and took it back to the dining room. I'm gonna have to buy Bella a new dining room set.

When I went back into the living room, Paul already had the guy wrapped in plastic with duct tape securing it so it wouldn't open up. Paul picked up the body and moved it into the guest bathroom while I moved the furniture back into place.

I could hear Jasper talking to Bella in the kitchen. They were laughing and probably cooking together. My jealousy flared for just a moment before I reminded myself that she is my wife and Jasper is my brother and they would never do something like that, not to me. I took a few deep breaths and started walking toward the kitchen.

I stood against the door watching my brother and wife finish up with dinner. Jasper was leaning against the counter eating garlic bread and Bella was at the sink draining the pasta. She is so beautiful. When I turned to look back at my brother, he was looking at me. He smirked, knowing that I was jealous as fuck that he was in here with her. Jasper and I were always competitive, especially over women. But Bella was different. We both knew it the first time we saw her.

"You know, you guys should go away for a few days. Get away from this shit."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. There ain't shit going on right now." He shrugged, "this stunt will make them back of until they can come up with a new plan."

I nodded but kept my eyes on him, wondering if there was something he wasn't telling me. Bella came into my line of sight with a hopeful look on her face so I smiled.

"Alright," I said and Bella leaned in to kiss my cheek.

She set the table and placed all of the food out. Bella said she wasn't hungry so Jasper and I filled our plates and started eating. Paul walked in after a few minutes and I held Bella on my lap as we all talked and joked around. I looked at Bella who was looking at Paul and Jasper with a smile on her face. She noticed that I was looking at her and she smiled brighter before leaning in to kiss me softly.

As we finished up, I told Paul to go home that Bella and I were going to stay in a hotel tonight. He nodded and kissed Bella on the cheek before going to the guest room to grab his stuff. We walked out of the kitchen and followed Jasper to the entry way. He slipped on his coat and turned to look at both of us with a smile on his face. A fucking sneaky smile. I knew he was keeping shit from me.

"When you get back, you're moving into the main house until this situation is taken care of. Enjoy your vacation," he laughed as he walked out of the apartment.

Motherfucker.

I looked over at Bella who had a look of horror on her face. I couldn't help it, I laughed at the expression on her face and she frowned before hitting my chest.

"Edward...do we really have to move into the main house?" she asked.

I could already see the 24/7 wedding planning in full effect and I was a little fucking worried that I wouldn't see my wife again until our wedding.

A vacation sounded really fucking great right now.


	14. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~Bella~~

Sand. Breeze. Warm water. Tropical drinks. A beautiful man. My life is perfect. For now, for the next week. But I'm not going to worry about that now. I am going to focus on the sand, the breeze, warm water, and tropical drinks – I took a sip of the blue drink in my hand and sighed. So good. It was day two of our vacation and my mantra was finally kicking in.

I sat on a lounger on the patio outside of our room and watched Edward swim in the ocean. God, he's magnificent in his blue board shorts and six pack abs. I'm a lucky, lucky girl.

We are on our 'unofficial' honeymoon. I'm surprised no one has asked us about it yet. I think the turn of events in Italy that day threw them off of our trail. But I am still wearing the wedding band Edward bought me in Italy, I can't bear to take it off. I looked down at the way it sparkled in the sun and smiled. I love calling him my husband, I'm just sad that I can't actually change my name until after December. I love how it sounds, Isabella Cullen.

"What are you smiling about?" Edward asked as he walked up. I placed my drink on the side table and looked up at him. He was glistening in the sun as beads of water ran down his body.

He leaned in and kissed me and somehow adjusted the lounger so we were lying flat on the chair. He pressed his wet body against mine and I moaned. I ran my fingers along his arms and shoulders. He pulled away slightly and kissed along my jaw, down my neck to my collarbone and I smiled. I love the feeling of him consuming me, owning me. I was his and he was mine.

The doorbell rang and Edward looked at me curiously. "Food," I answered.

He nodded and jumped up to open the door. I could hear him talking but I didn't move except to raise my arms above my head. I loved it here. It was relaxing and the sound of the ocean was soothing.

I heard the laughter of children and raised up on my elbows to see two blond haired girls running along the beach. A man chased behind them laughing, "Okay, girls! Let's stop here," he called out as he dropped a bag filled with towels.

The girls turned around and ran back to him before dumping all of their sand toys and running into the water. A woman walked up a few minutes later in a bikini with a wrap around her waist and her pregnant belly exposed for all to see. She looked over at me with a bright smile and waved. She looked radiant. I waved back and smiled. She made her way to her husband's side who kissed her and placed a hand on their baby. I felt like I was intruding on a private moment but I couldn't tear my eyes away. Would Edward and I be like that one day?

I continued to watch the little family with a tight feeling in my belly. I hadn't gone to the doctor yet. With our quick departure from Italy and then the two day turn around from Chicago, there hadn't been any time. I picked up condoms at the airport and told Edward we should probably use them since I hadn't gone in for my next shot. He looked at them and then me for a long moment before placing them back on the shelf. "_I don't want to feel any barriers between us. " _Our flight was called before I could question him about it.

I know the likelihood of me being pregnant is very slim. I have been getting the shot for years, the percentage of women who get pregnant after missing it by a few weeks is very low. But all of the talk in Italy made me hopeful. To the point that I didn't really want to go to the doctor. I know I'll be disappointed if, when, the doctor tells me I'm not pregnant. A shadow came over me from behind and I laid back to look up at my husband.

He extended his hand to help me up and then kissed me softly before leading me inside.

* * *

><p><em>I'm walking along the beach in a white sundress. I can see a man walking about twenty feet in front of me. He looks familiar to me but I can't place him. I want to call out to him but I don't know his name. I walk faster to catch up to him but he seems to be moving much faster than me. <em>

_I take in my surroundings and realize I am the only other person on the beach. The wind starts whipping around me fiercely and it starts to rain._

"_Excuse me!" I yell. But he starts to run. He's too fast and I can't catch up to him._

"_Hey, stop! " I call again. He pauses and turns around. _

_In the moment he turns, I'm back in Chicago. I stop and take in my surroundings. The busy street, car horns blaring during afternoon traffic. What the hell? _

_I turn back toward the man who is now walking toward me with his head down. I can't see his face but his posture is menacing. I take a step backward wanting to get as far away from this man as possible but when I turn, I'm stopped by a hand on my arm. _

"_Hello, Isabella," she says. _

_I suck in a breath, "Alice? Alice, please I have to go." She smiles and grips my arm, her nails biting into my forearm. _

"_Congratulations, Isabella. Do you know what you're having?" _

_I frown and ask, "what?" and notice that my stomach is swollen. I gasp and place a hand on my stomach. _

_I feel someone behind me and when I turn, "Hello Isabella, I've been waiting for you." _

_His face is twists into an angry mask when he sees my swollen belly, "How could you, Isabella? I told you that you were mine."_

I woke up gasping. I sat up quickly and looked around the room pushing myself against the headboard. I feel hands on me and I try to get away.

"Baby, baby are you okay?" Edward was asking me but I couldn't concentrate on him.

"Baby, please," he begged. He took my face in his hands and wiped my tears away with his thumbs. "I'm here, baby, focus on me," he soothed as he moved his fingers along my neck.

My heart was beating frantically. I grabbed Edward's wrists and looked into his green eyes. "Edward?" I asked.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here."

I closed my eyes but couldn't help the sob that escaped.

I could hear Edward talking on the phone. He called Jasper after I had calmed down enough to tell him about my dream. I thought it was silly that he was actually discussing it with Jasper. I was embarrassed that the dream caused such a reaction from me. I told Edward I thought it was just the stress of everything going on and not having been able to go to the doctor but he said sometimes our subconscious tells us things we need to know.

I shrugged, I guess it won't hurt for him to look into it. But I don't see how Alice could have anything to do with this. I knew her before meeting Edward.

I felt his warmth behind me before he wrapped his arms around me. I closed my eyes and leaned back trying to absorb as much of him as possible. He ran his hands up and down my arms while trailing his lips along my neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded, "I'm fine. The dream just felt so real. Everything was so vivid and while I wasn't scared of the man on the beach, I was terrified of the man in the city." I shivered. "And Alice...I can't figure it out." Edward turned me in his arms and kissed me slowly, softly.

"Come on, let's go out for awhile. Take your mind off of things."

We walked around the busy main street stopping in a small cafe for breakfast. Edward and I talked and laughed and kissed with no care as to who was watching. We walked around like tourists and bought things from the street vendors and talked with people on the street.

That night there was a party on the beach. There was a live band and a dance floor on the sand. There was also a bar set up with lights hung along a canopy. There were quite a few people drinking and dancing and having a good time. Edward and I danced and talked to the people around us. We kissed and whispered sweet words in each other's ears.

And at the end of the night, Edward and I fell into our bed and he made love to me. It was slow and soft with whispered I love you's as we came.

* * *

><p>I woke up to an empty bed and a note that read, <em>'Sweetheart, went out to get breakfast. See you soon."<em>

I closed my eyes and stretched. I rolled over to look out of the window in our room. There was a wall that was almost entirely made of glass. In the middle was a sliding door that led out to a patio that sat very close to the beach. It was beautiful. The smell of the ocean, the sound of the waves crashing. It's so peaceful here.

I must of dozed off because I felt the bed dip and fingers on my skin. A warm tingle ran up my leg, across my hip, until a hand stopped on my stomach.

I didn't move even though it was killing me to know what he was thinking. His hand started moving again only to stop in the valley between my breasts. His hand was so large and warm against my skin. I moaned softly alerting him that I was awake.

He pressed his weight against me and the delicious feel of his naked skin sparked a fire inside of me. I needed him. I wanted him.

I arched my back, pushing my ass against him. He was already hard and throbbing against me. He jerked against me and his grip on me tightened. I threw my leg over his opening myself up for him, inviting him in.

He didn't waste any time pushing into me. He paused once he was fully sheathed inside of me. We both needed the time to adjust. His warmth inside of me was almost too much this morning. I moved an arm behind me and grabbed his ass pulling him into me, asking him to move. He grunted and started to move inside of me. Quick strokes in and out. One hand was splayed over my stomach and the tips of his fingers grazing the spot where we were connected. The feel of him and the thought of him feeling our connection had me spiraling quickly. I could feel the knot in my stomach unraveling.

I pushed myself away from his chest and adjusted my body so that I was lying flat on my back and Edward was pumping into me sideways. I watched his face as he watched his dick move in and out of me. His hand slid up the inside of my thigh, angling so that he could go deeper. I wanted more, always more. I moved one of my hands to cup and massage his balls while my thumb hovered, barely grazing him as he moved in and out of me.

Edward took a deep breath and was quickly on his knees with my legs thrown over his shoulder while he pounded into me. The knot was unraveling quickly. The heat spread out through my body and my legs were shaking. Edward was looking at me with a smirk on his face. Cocky bastard. Then he moved a hand to my clit and I was done. I closed my eyes and arched my back, my mouth open in a silent scream.

Edward's movements sped up and he moved in and out of me in a frantic pace before finally groaning and jerking against me. I felt his orgasm run through his body. I felt his warmth fill me and I couldn't help but wonder how big a chance we were taking by not using some kind of protection.

The week ended much too soon and I knew the quiet moment's with Edward would soon be few and far between. But I was happy that we were able to get these few days to ourselves.

But more and more over this past week I had asked myself what I had gotten myself into. Was I ready for this life? Would seeing my husband always be so difficult? And would I really be able to bring a child into this lifestyle?

* * *

><p>~~Edward~~<p>

Two weeks. We have been back for two weeks and I think I am going to have to kill my family.

Bella and I spent a week, seven days, on a white sand beach with no phones or internet. We were completely by ourselves and normal – no guns, no crazy kidnappers, just Bella and me. It was amazing. Bella wore a bikini for almost the entire trip – or nothing if we were in our room. We came back relaxed, tan and, even if it makes me sound like a pussy, more in love than we were before we left. Bella is an amazing woman and I am lucky to be married to her. I'm just hoping my luck lasts and she stays with me forever.

But today, today I am going to murder my family. The whole fucking lot of them. Assholes, cock blocking every fucking chance they get. We still have three fucking months until the wedding but my mother and grandmother seem to think the wedding is tomorrow and Bella needs to be up at six am on a Saturday morning to do 'last minute' shopping. Last minute? Three fucking months is my answer to that.

I have gotten used to being with Bella and when I am home, we are having sex, lots of sex. It's a given. But in the past two weeks, I have had sex a total of four times. FOUR TIMES! You know what, fuck this. We are moving. Fuck Jasper and his _'you're staying at the main house until this situation is controlled_', Fuck him. He is still getting some ass. He doesn't have to live here. Asshole.

After jacking off in the shower and getting ready for the day, I walked downstairs ready to meet with Carlisle to go over the weekly numbers. I didn't expect it to be anything mind blowing. I check that shit every day. It should all be good.

As I get to his office, I can hear him yelling at someone. I stop outside of his office and listen to see what it's related to. Like a fucking little kid, I want to make sure it's not me that's in trouble. I snort at my own idiocy.

"Fuck this. You guys need to move out of my house. Move into the guest house and don't fucking come here before ten a.m."

I can hear my grandfather laughing and I lean against the wall.

"Carlisle," Santo says laughing.

"NO, don't fucking Carlisle me. You and mom were fucking in my office. I am traumatized!" I covered my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. I could see the fucker shivering at the sight. Fuck, I was shivering at it. They're old.

"I shouldn't have to see that shit. And now I have to replace that couch. I can't make people sit on that knowing your ass was rubbing all over it."

My grandfather was in a full blown laugh now. I shook my head and knocked on the door.

"COME IN!" my father yelled at me.

"Edward," my father was already pissed off so I was going to piss him off a little more.

"So, what's going on?" I asked as I walked over to shake my grandfather's hand. "Who's ass was all over the couch?"

"You're fucking grandparents are fucking all over the house and we need to replace all the fucking furniture," my father complained as he walked around to the other side of his desk. But he didn't sit and he didn't touch anything on his desk. His eyebrows were furrowed and his nose was moving funny, like something smelled. "Did you guys fuck on my desk too? Did you at least move all of my shit out of the way?"

My grandfather started laughing again.

"What the fuck? How are you guys able to avoid all of the cock blockers in this house? Bella and I are going fucking crazy."

"You come see me later, Edoardo, I give you some tips," my grandfather said and I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing. I knew my dad was going to lose it any minute.

"Fuck no! Nobody is fucking in this house ever again!"

Santo and I couldn't stop from laughing at my father's yell and his red face. I almost fell over onto the couch but caught myself at the last minute. My grandfather noticed and he fell over laughing. Unable to control himself any longer.

"Ew, doesn't that smell like ass?" I said scrunching up my face but Gramps just wiggled his eyebrows.

"Edward, shut up. Let's go into the library. It smells in here, Esme is going to have to redecorate," he grumbled as he unlocked his desk and took out his laptop.

As we walked toward the library, one of the housekeepers walked by with a tub of laundry. "Hi Marcy, Can you please open the windows in my office. It smells off in there today."

"Of course, sir. Do we need to send someone in to clean?"

"Yes and make sure they wipe down all of the furniture."

"Yes, sir."

We kept walking and I started laughing again. My father looked at me with narrowed eyes but I could see his mouth twitch.

"Keep fucking laughing and see how you feel when you find your mother and I fucking in your office."

I actually gagged. "Ugh, please don't. Do it in Jasper's office."

My father laughed and nodded.

* * *

><p>I rolled my neck as I sat in the club waiting for Jasper to finish up whatever the fuck he was doing.<p>

The waitress brought me my drink and smiled. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Cullen?" She asked.

I looked at her. She was cute, blond hair and blue eyed. She couldn't have been more than nineteen. I flashed her a smile.

"Nope, I'm good."

"Well, you just let me know if you need anything."

I turned away from her not wanting to give her the impression that I would want anything from her. I've never been one to hook up with the girls in Jasper's club but it has happened. But I'm a married man now. I have a beautiful woman at home and I don't need another woman to make me feel good.

Speaking of the woman I have waiting at home, I looked at my watch. Midnight. Time to get the fuck out of here.

I walked down the hall to Jasper's office and knocked on the door. I heard a bang and shook my head. I stepped back and leaned against the wall. A few seconds later the door swings open and a girl walks out wiping her mouth. She puts her head down and walks away quickly.

I walk into the office and look at my brother who has a smile on his face and a drink in his hand. "Fucker. I want to get out of here and you keep me waiting so you can get sucked off?"

He shrugged, "Count this."

It was almost one by the time we finished and I was able to leave.

"Ed," Jasper called out to me as I put my jacket back on.

I looked over at him and he leaned forward on his desk.

"I think that Alice is involved with Felix. I'm not sure what the connection is but I found some New York phone numbers on her office and cell phone records. I know she works in fashion so the New York numbers are easy to explain, but the same number kept popping up over and over again. Short calls, less than thirty seconds." He ran his hands through his hair. "Could be nothing. I'll let you know."

I nodded and walked out. I wonder how hard Bella will take this.

I slipped into the bedroom that Bella and I were sharing trying to be quiet so I didn't wake her. I was already unbuttoning my shirt and pants as I made my way to the bathroom. I hate going to bed smelling like cigarettes and the club. As I opened the door, I noticed a single candle was lit. Did Bella take a bath earlier and forget to blow out the candle?

I walked further into the bathroom only to find Bella sitting in the bathtub. Her hair was in a messy ponytail on top of her head and her eyes were closed.

"Bella, what are you doing up? Are you okay?" I asked as I moved toward her.

She opened her eyes and looked at me. I could see she had been crying.

"Bella, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" I quickly stripped and stepped into the bathtub behind her. She started crying again and I tried to soothe her by running my hands along her arms and chest. I whispered in her ear that I loved her and that everything would be okay.

"Are you always going to be home this late? When am I supposed to see you?"

What? I didn't answer her.

"I.." she stopped and her body slumped against mine. I could feel the defeat rolling off of her.

"What Bella?"

"I'm..." she whispered. "I was in my shell until the day you found me in that warehouse. I kept myself protected so no one could break my heart. But then you come into my life and all of the sudden I'm getting married and I'm in love..." she trailed off. "I just need to know if this is how our life is going to work. Me home alone and you coming home at two in the morning smelling like sex and cigarettes."

I pulled Bella's body tightly against mine. She gasped and I know I was probably hurting her but I didn't care at this moment.

"This is my life Bella, our life. The things I do are to protect my family. Don't ever fucking accuse me of what you're thinking. Do you understand me? You are my wife and I love you. That should be enough for you to trust me."

She continued to cry and her fingers dug into my skin but I didn't release my hold on her.

"Where is this coming from? Why don't you trust me all of the sudden? We've been together for months and all of the sudden you are wondering where I am and what time I'm coming home. What's going on?"

She didn't answer me so I turned her body so she was straddling me and I held her face in my hands. "What is it?"

Her eyes were closed and she wouldn't look at me.

"Open your eyes, Bella." But when she did I almost wish she hadn't. She was shutting down, closing herself off from me.

"A woman came here earlier," she rasped out.

"And?" I was getting frustrated with her. She looked into my eyes. Her eyes darted from one to the other. Fear flashed in her eyes. It was quick but I saw it. What was she afraid of?

"She asked for you and Marcy told her you weren't here. The woman said that she would just meet you at the club. That it had been awhile since the two of you had hooked up and she couldn't wait for the reunion."

I frowned. Reunion? Who the fuck would I have hooked up with in the past that thought a reunion would be a possibility? And how the hell would she know to look for me here? How did she get past all of the security?

"Bella, you are the only woman I have ever brought here. Not many people know where this house is. Did she give her name?" I was losing my patience.

Bella closed her eyes and swallowed. Tears fell down her cheeks again and she whispered, "It was Alice."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~U~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate it. I know I totally fail at responding to your reviews but I read each and every one.

Until next time...


	15. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~Bella~~

I kept my eyes closed waiting for his reaction. I know my jealousy was out of line but I didn't know how else to react. I couldn't believe that Alice, the woman I had known for the past three years, could have come here to claim she and Edward had known each other intimately. Why had she never mentioned that she knew him? She had only ever mentioned that he was gorgeous and I was a lucky girl. But I didn't expect that they knew each other. Edward had seen her picture and he'd never mentioned it either. I knew he kept secrets from me but I'd always assumed that they were regarding business. I didn't think he would have kept knowing Alice a secret, unless there was something he didn't want me to know.

I felt his hands drop to my waist and squeeze me. He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me leaving no space between us. I had just gotten into the bathtub before he walked in so the water was still hot and I could feel the steam every time I took a breath.

"I spoke to Jasper earlier tonight," he spoke quietly. "He said he thought that Alice was involved with Felix. He found New York phone numbers on her phone records with short call times. The calls were just long enough for someone to check in."

I closed my eyes and gripped him tightly.

His hand rubbed my back soothingly, "what is this really about, Bella?" He sounded so hurt and I hated myself for causing it.

I pulled away slightly so I could look into his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I don't know...It was completely irrational and I know that. I was trying to grasp onto something, anything to explain why she was here. I trust you with everything that I am, Edward. I love you so much. I'm so sorry that I let the jealousy take over. I just needed...I don't know. To yell at someone, to argue, to let all of this emotion out," I closed my eyes and let out a breath.

I felt his lips touch mine softly and I opened my eyes.

"I will never do that to you, Bella. I know men in our position have bad reputations and a lot of the stories are true, but _I_ will not do that to you."

I nodded as fresh tears ran down my face.

We sat in the tub for a while longer. I didn't want to go to bed with these feelings of betrayal between us but I didn't know what to say.

By the time we got out of the tub, it was almost four in the morning. Edward toweled me off and took me to our bed. We were quiet as we held each other and waited for sleep to come. My tears never stopped and when sleep finally claimed me, it was full of darkness and heartache.

~~U~~

I woke up with a massive headache and scratchy eyes. Everything that happened last night flooded my memory and I sat up quickly when I realized Edward wasn't in bed with me. Tears pooled in my eyes as I looked around the room. I covered my face and berated myself for being so stupid the night before.

I have never been a person to jump to conclusions nor had I been a very jealous woman but for some reason hearing Alice talk about Edward as if she knew him bothered me. The fact that I was kept in the dark that they knew each other bothered me. The longer I thought about it, the crazier the scenarios I created. And by the time Edward got home, I had completely lost it.

I heard the shower turn on and I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. I jumped off of the bed tripping over the sheets that covered me and walked to the bathroom. I walked in and quietly shut the door behind me. I moved toward the shower and saw Edward standing under the spray with his head down. I carefully opened the glass door and stepped inside. I was so scared that he was going to reject me that my hands shook as I placed them on his back. I ran my hands along his back and wrapped my arms around him kissing him lightly before resting my cheek against him.

He didn't move or speak and my stomach dropped at the thought that he no longer wanted me. The never ending flow of tears continued to streak my face and my head was pounding and now my heart was breaking. "Edward," I tried to speak but it came out in a choked sob. I pulled away from him quickly not able to handle his rejection and tried to escape from the shower. I couldn't...I can't...

His hand covered mine before I could push the door open. I sagged against his body and cried. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, don't leave me. Please...," I couldn't even hold myself up anymore. Edward had become such an intricate part of me that I couldn't fathom not having him. But if he didn't want me...

"Baby, please stop. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. Feel me, Bella, I'm here." He picked me up and sat with me on the bench inside of the shower. He must have adjusted the shower heads because I felt the flow of hot water on me and I could feel his hands as he ran them over my body. I buried my face in his chest and tried to calm down. The smell of his body wash was strong in the enclosed space and it helped calm my nerves.

He shifted me slightly and said, "lean back so I can wash your hair."

I did as he asked but kept my eyes closed. I was afraid of what I would find if I looked into his eyes. I didn't think I could handle the disappointment I would find there.

The sound of the water hitting the tiles was the only noise in the room. When Edward was done washing my hair I clung to him. Shifting myself so I could wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I felt him adjust himself to accommodate me. There was soap on the shelf next to me so I grabbed it and poured some into my hand.

I pulled away and ran my fingers through his hair. I massaged his scalp lightly and worked the soap into a rich lather. I chanced a look at him and his green eyes were focused on me, looking into me, as if he could see my soul. My fingers froze as our eyes connected and I wasn't sure what to do. The water pushed the soap out of his hair and it ran in a river down his neck and shoulders

His eyes didn't reflect the disappointment or anger that I expected. They searched for answers, for explanations. I bit my lip trying to quell the tears that lingered under the surface. His hands moved from my back to my face. I clung to his shoulders as I lost the support of his hands but I didn't take my eyes off of his.

He kissed me hard. Dominating every part of me in that moment, claiming me as his. The knot in my chest unraveled at the feel of his lips on mine. I could feel him growing hard underneath me and I rocked my body closer to his. I needed to feel him against me, inside of me. He moved his hands to my hips, picked me up and pushed into me. The movement was quick and hard and we both groaned. His hands guided my body as his lips brushed across my collarbone, my chest, my shoulder. The connection between us was overwhelming and I knew I wouldn't last long. Edward rubbed me in tight circles and we exploded together. It was quiet but the force of it was breathtaking. This was another turning point for us. I could feel it in my bones.

Once we calmed down, Edward rinsed us off and helped me to my feet. Grabbing towels from the linen closet, he wrapped a towel around his waist and then dried me off before wrapping me in a dry towel and sitting me on the counter. The mirrors in the room were foggy from the steam and the dim lighting gave the room an intimate feel.

"Bella," he said quietly and kissed me softly. "I love you. Only you. There is no one else I want. No one else can make me feel like you do. I realize that I have not shown you that."

I opened my mouth to protest but he placed a finger on my lips.

"I haven't shown you. When we started, things were tense. We didn't speak much or see each other in the evenings. We had dinner together and went our separate ways. We weren't living together so you didn't know what happened at night after you went to sleep. And I didn't feel the need to explain things that didn't affect you. And then we went to Italy." He was quiet for a moment as he looked at me. He ran his fingers along my cheek and then cupped my face in his hand. His movements were so gentle and soft that I turned slightly to place a kiss in the palm of his hand.

"A lot changed in Italy. We were rarely away from each other and we learned so much about each other. We strengthened our relationship and fell in love. We were able to live as a normal couple for a little while. I didn't realize what a shock it would be to you when we got back to Chicago." He shifted my face so that our foreheads were touching, "I don't have a normal nine to five job, Bella. A lot of what I do happens in the middle of the night. I spend a lot of time at the club with Jasper. But know that I will never disrespect you or our marriage. I will come home to you, always. I would rather be with you than anywhere else. And once all of this shit with Felix is settled, things will calm down. But I need you to trust me and be patient with me. This is who I am, Bella."

I tilted my head up and kissed him. I moved my hands from his chest to cradle his face in my hands. "I know who you are, Edward. And I love you. So much. I'm so sorry I got carried away with my imagination and fear and reacted the way I did. But I know you and I trust you. I can't promise that I won't ever overreact again or that I will always be so understanding of your business but I accept this life and you with my whole heart."

Edward let out a deep breath and smiled. A beautiful smile that warmed my heart and soul. He pulled me close to him and kissed me with so much passion and love I felt like it flow through my body. My fingers dug into his shoulders and I was lost as I felt Edward's skin on mine again.

~~U~~

We were all sitting in the living room discussing yesterday's visit from Alice Whitlock. The guard at the front of the property said that she claimed she was meeting me for a dress fitting and that I was expecting her. He said he called the house to speak with me but the housekeeper said I was indisposed but it would be fine to send her through.

Jasper asked me to give him every detail of the conversation between Marcy and Alice. I told him everything that I heard as I stood hidden from their view. Marcy said that she had never met Alice before that day and didn't remember Edward ever inviting a woman to the house.

Jasper was quiet for awhile as everyone speculated and I watched him closely. I could see the cogs in his head moving and twisting as he worked out the riddle of Alice. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees and looked at me with concern.

"Isa," he said and everyone quieted. "I think we need to talk to her to figure out what is going on."

I looked at him for a long moment before looking at Edward. "What do you mean, Jasper?"

"I think we should talk to her." He stood and started pacing. "I'm thinking you call her and apologize for not being able to meet with her and ask her to meet you. Explain that you can't go to her office because you have a photo shoot at one of the hotels and ask her to meet you there. If she shows up, we will scramble everything – computers, phones whatever so no one listens in. Edward and I will be there with you and we find out what is going on." He stopped moving and knelt in front of me again. "I know this is asking a lot of you after what happened last night but my gut is telling me that she is trying to reach out to you, to us."

I took Jasper's hand in mine and looked at Edward. His face was pensive as if he was already looking at possible outcomes and escape routes. When he made eye contact with me, I could see that he agreed with Jasper.

"Okay," I turned back to my brother in law. "If this is what you need, then I'll do it."

~~U~~

I paced the room waiting for her to show up. I checked into the room at ten this morning and set up all of my equipment. Edward and Jasper were somewhere in the hotel but I didn't know where. Demetri came here with me this morning and helped me carry things in and set up. I took pictures of him as he set up the screens and lighting. He wasn't happy that I had captured him on film but I didn't care.

He mentioned that he and his wife were expecting a child and I offered to photograph them. He smiled and said he'd let me know. I hoped they would agree.

Alice was forty minutes late. I was worried she wasn't going to show. I stopped pacing and stood in front of the window looking out at the city. It was September now and the weather was changing. Autumn was moving in and the trees were preparing and changing colors. The hot temperatures were cooling and the night air was crisp. I love this about Chicago. I was considering photographing certain parts of the city to capture the season change when there was a quick knock on the door.

I walked to the door quickly and looked through the peep hole to see Alice fidgeting outside of the door. I looked at Demetri who stood behind the door and he nodded. I opened the door and Alice smiled.

"Isabella! I'm so glad we were able to get together this morning."

She walked into the room and Demetri was next to her immediately. He took her purse and ran a metal detector type of thing along her small frame. She pointed at her bag and held her hand up to her ear signaling her cell phone. She also took off her shoes and pointed to the heel.

I watched as Demetri gathered all of the items and walked into the bedroom. I turned my attention back to Alice who was hunched over as quiet sobs took over her body. I gently wrapped an arm around her and moved her over to the sofa.

"Alice?" I asked quietly. I wasn't quite sure what to say. I don't know what I expected when we walked into the hotel this morning but this wasn't it.

"Isabella, I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't cause problems with you and Edward. I don't know him – I've never met him but I needed to find away to talk to you."

The door opened and Jasper and Edward walked in. Edward placed his hand up and walked over to the bedroom. Demetri must have given him the okay because Edward walked back in and sat two chairs in front of us.

"We're here now, so talk," Edward said quietly but the look in his eyes was fierce.

Alice took a deep breath and grabbed my hand. "A man walked into the studio after Isabella's last dress fitting..."

~~Edward~~

Bella has been very quiet since our discussion with Alice last week. She went back to work and has been keeping busy but I can still see sadness in her eyes when she looks at me. I'm not really sure what to do about that. I get that she feels bad for making assumptions about where I am and what I'm doing. I can even see why she was pissed off when she thought Alice and I knew each other and didn't tell her. But I can't take her being sad and quiet when she's around me. Jasper told me to give her some time but it's been almost a week and she hasn't changed. I'm not sure how our relationship is going to work it if we have to go through this shit every time we get into an argument.

I walk into the gallery and take a quick look at the reception area. Stopping abruptly at the new face I see sitting at the desk. "Charlotte?"

"Hi, Edward." She says quietly. I walk over to her and kiss her on the cheek.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. Better now that Peter is home. Edward," she starts but I shake my head.

"Charlotte, don't. Let's just move forward, okay?"

She nods and sniffles. "How are you feeling? How's the baby?" I ask genuinely concerned that all of the stress might cause harm to her and the baby.

She smiles, "We're good. Everything's good."

I smile, "Okay, I'm going to go back and see Bella."

She nods and gives me a watery smile.

When I walk into Bella's office she is sitting at her desk with a frown on her face. Her door was open so she doesn't immediately notice me. She's staring at her computer but not really looking at it. I walk forward and sit in the chair in front of her desk. Her eyes open wide with surprise.

"Edward!" She smiles and walks over to me. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

"Baby," I kiss her softly. "It's lunch time."

"It's lunch already? Let me go freshen up. I'll be right out." She takes off quickly and runs into the bathroom.

I walk around her desk and look at her laptop. Her email program is up and there are photographs open right in the middle of the email. It looks like pictures of the city. Warehouses, the waterfront, hotels...I hear the door open before I have a chance to look at the email. I stand up and walk toward her, searching her eyes for any lingering sadness or guilt and happy that I don't see it today.

She smiles at me, "Hi," and then she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly.

I hug her back and smile. Finally. I tilt her head back and kiss her. "Ready?"

She nods and grabs her purse.

"Edward, I made a reservation for us to check out a reception site this afternoon. Well, I booked the reception site right after the engagement party but I made an appointment for us to look at it this afternoon. Do you have free time? Can you come with me?"

"Yeah. Where is it?" I continue eating and look up at her.

She bites her lip, "Fulton's?"

"Is that a question or is that where it is?"

She rolls her eyes, "Fulton's is where I booked the room."

I nod, "that would be nice. People can step out for fresh air but there are private rooms right? There's going to be a lot of _guests_."

"I know. I was trying to find somewhere that we would be comfortable but classy at the same time, you know?"

"Yeah, let's check it out. It will be cold by the water in December."

"But the pictures will be beautiful," she smiled and took a bite of her salad.

I smiled and leaned over to kiss her. She was quiet for a few minutes before clearing her throat.

"Uhm...I also have a doctor's appointment this afternoon," she said very quietly looking up at me under her lashes.

"Are you okay?" I put my fork down and look at her.

"I think so. Remember I told you I missed my shot?" she is still talking very quietly, like she's afraid of my reaction. But then she looks around us to see if anyone is in earshot.

I think back trying to remember this conversation. I shake my head and raise an eyebrow letting her know I don't remember.

"When we went on vacation? I told you we needed protection and you said no."

My eyebrows shoot up. "Do you think..." I trail off now understanding why she's being quiet. We don't need the whole fucking restaurant knowing about our sex life.

She shrugged, "maybe. I feel...different," she said and looked away. "I didn't want Dem or Paul going with me to the doctor's office so I scheduled it after Fulton's."

I looked at her for a moment before saying, "Yeah, okay."

I picked up my fork and continued eating. It didn't escape my notice that my hand was shaking. Actually, I think my whole body is shaking. Could she be pregnant? Am I ready for kids? What about all of this shit with Felix? The stress can't be good for the baby. How am I going to keep them safe from all of the shit going on? I think back to Charlotte earlier. She looked okay and she's in the middle of all of this shit too. I jump when I feel Bella's hand on mine.

"Are you upset?" her face is sad and worried.

"No." I pull her to me and sit her on my lap not paying attention to the looks we are getting from the tables around us. "Scared out of my fucking mind but not upset."

Her shoulders drop and I can feel the tension leave her body. She wraps her arms around me and I hug her tightly.

"I'm scared too," she whispers.

I pull her away from me and look into her eyes. "Let's just find out first, okay? Before we do or say anything else." She nodded and went back to her seat. "Is this why you've been worried lately?"

She tilts her head and looks at me confused. "I've looked worried?"

I nod and continue eating, "since the Alice thing."

"Hmmm, yes. I was upset about that," she frowns. "But I got a weird email last week and didn't think anything of it. I thought it was junk mail so I deleted it but I got another one today."

I opened my mouth to ask about it but she shook her head. "I'll take my laptop home tonight so you can see it."

~~u~~

We walked into the restaurant and were immediately met with the event planner. And I have to say, she is a beautiful woman. Not as beautiful as my Bella, but still beautiful. She is at least 5'9" with blond hair, blue eyes and a killer body. But her eyes don't linger on me. She is checking out my Bella like she's never seen another woman before. I chuckle and wonder if Bella even notices.

"Hello, Isabella, right? I'm Tanya and I'll be working with you today."

"Hi, yes I'm Isabella and this is my fiance, Edward," Bella looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I shrug but can't wipe the smile off of my face.

"Hello, nice to meet you," I said quietly while shaking her hand.

"Good to meet you both, congratulations on your engagement. So, Isabella based on our conversation in May, I reserved a couple of the rooms for you. One room can accommodate up to 500 guests and the other can handle about 175. I wanted you to see each one in case you had your guest list tied down." Tanya kept talking about the rooms and whatever else goes along with a reception and I looked around the restaurant. It's a nice place. Not too stiff and I like that there are exits to walk outside for fresh air or a smoke.

Tanya proceeds to walk around around the restaurant and then takes us into a room called The Falling Waters room. It's a nice room but I think it would feel crowded with the amount of people we are going to have.

Bella looked over at me and I leaned in whispering, "I think the room that fits 500 will work better. This one will be too crowded."

She nods but continues to listen to Tanya and ask questions. I love this Bella. Take charge, no nonsense. My eyes travel along Bella's petite body. She's so fucking sexy in her pencil skirt and silk blouse, three inch red heels...damn it, if only she was wearing her glasses today.

They have stopped to talk about something and I press myself up right behind Bella placing my hands on her hips. Her voice falters for a second when she feels me but she continues with what she was saying.

Tanya gives me a smirk and then winks at Bella before moving on. Bella pushes her ass into me and I groan.

"Knock it off," she says with narrowed eyes but I can see that her face is flushed and her eyes are dark.

"You shouldn't have worn this fucking skirt today," I lean in and whisper, my hands move from her hips to her ass and I pull her into me. "You know how much I love this skirt. And those shoes, fuck, you're the perfect height."

Bella closes her eyes and pulls my tie. She kisses me hard and pulls away quickly. "Later. Let's go."

I watch her walk away and notice there's someone standing near me. The kid can't be more than 20 and he's carrying a plastic tub with dishes in it. "That was fucking hot, man."

I give him a cocky smile and walk after my woman.

~~U~~

I'm sitting in the waiting room and my knee is bouncing and I'm nervous as hell. There are pregnant woman all over the damn place and let me tell you, not all of them are glowing. Some of them are fucking mean and ugly. They watched Bella and I walk in with fucking evil looks on their faces.

And there are all kinds of fucking kids running around. I feel an elbow in my rib and I look over at Bella. "What?"

"Stop looking at everyone like that," she whispers.

"Like what?" I ask her as I turn back to look around the room. I hope Bella doesn't turn into a mean pregnant person. And I sure as hell hope she doesn't start wearing pajamas all over the damn place. I mean, what the fuck? How hard is it to get dressed before going out. I wrinkle my nose, I hope pajama lady showered. Maybe we shouldn't sit in these chairs. And I look at the kids again, wiping their noses all over their hands and sleeves and then touching everything.

Bella rolls her eyes at me.

"Why are there so many fucking kids here? Isn't this an adult office? Why the hell would you bring your kid with you..." she elbows me in the fucking ribs again.

"What the fuck?"

She covers her face and I can feel her shaking against me. She's fucking laughing and I'm ready to have a panic attack from all of the germs that are floating around in here.

"Excuse me, can you please watch your language? There are children here," pajama lady says in a nasally voice.

I look at her and open my mouth to respond, "Isabella Swan?" I'm instantly distracted by the name used to call my wife.

I straighten up and look at her, "Swan? Why is she calling you Swan?"

She stands up and pulls me with her. "Do you want me to change it?"

"Yes, I fucking want you to change it. You are my wife," I answer a little agitated.

"What is wrong with you?" she whispers as we follow the nurse.

"Fucking germs and kids and mean pregnant women in the lobby are freaking me out."

The nurse hears me and chuckles.

"Ms. Swan, go ahead and stand on the scale so we can get your weight?"

"It's Cullen, Isabella Cullen. Can you write that on her chart?" Bella shakes her head and and then reaches a hand out to me so she can stand on the scale.

"I don't have to take off my shoes do I?" Bella asks. She doesn't like to take off her shoes in public places. See, I'm not the only crazy person here.

"No, it's okay to keep them on."

"Don't look at the scale."

"What?"

"Turn around, I don't want you to see how much I weigh." It's my turn to roll my eyes.

"Okay, 114. Let's go ahead and go into room 4. Dr. Johnston will be in in a moment."

I laugh and Bella slaps my chest. "Asshole," she says under her breath.

As soon as we are in the room I lift her up and sit her on the table. I wiggle my way in between her legs and kiss her. My hands tangle into her hair as I angle her head to give me better access. I have so much nervous energy and my stomach is in knots. There's a quick knock on the door and I pull away and smile at Bella's red, swollen lips and messy hair.

She shakes her head and closes her eyes while running her fingers through her hair. She bites her lip and smiles at me.

"Hello, Isabella. How are you?" What the fuck? Her doctor is a man?

"Hi Dr. Johnston," she says as she shakes his hand. "I'm well, thank you. And yourself?"

"Good, good. Thanks." He turns to me. "Hello, I'm Jake Johnston."

"Jake," I answer and shake his hand, gripping it tightly. "I'm Edward Cullen, Isabella's husband."

"Husband?" His eyes shoot up and he turns to Bella. "Wow," he clears his throat, "congratulations."

Bella face is flushed and she looks a little pissed off at me. But I don't care because she didn't tell me her doctor is a man.

"Thank you, Dr. Johnston."

"So, what are you in for today?"

Bella clears her throat and reaches for my hand. "I missed my last shot and I'm feeling a little off. I want to get a pregnancy test and if it comes back clear then I want to go over some birth control options."

He writes in the chart and asks Bella a bunch of questions about how she's feeling and what kind of symptoms she's had.

"Okay, I'm going to have Megan come in and draw some blood. We'll run the test and go from there."

"Okay, thanks."

Bella takes a deep breath.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask and pull her into a hug.

"Yes," she says with a smile.

"You know that doctor wants you right?" I ask suddenly worried that this guy is going to put his hands on my wife.

"What?" she laughs.

"He fucking wants you. I think you should get a new doctor, a woman doctor." I lean in and whisper, "I don't want another man looking at your beautiful pink lips. They're mine."

She groans and rests her head on my chest.

Before I can say anything else the door opens and the nurse comes in. She sets up a tray with needles and tubes and bandages. I look at Bella and she looks like she's going to pass out.

"Whoa, you okay baby?" I reach out and hold her against me.

"I'm not good with blood."

I pull her against my chest as the nurse does her thing and leaves.

We're waiting.

I'm pacing.

Bella's tapping her fingers against the table she's sitting on.

How long have we been waiting? The tension in my body just keeps building and my shoulders are so tight. I try to loosen them up by rolling my neck but it isn't working. My mind is running over the idea of having a kid and everything that goes along with it. What if I'm a bad father? What if the kid hates me? What if its a girl? How will our lifestyle affect our child? I don't know anything about kids. I don't know how to relate to them. What if I'm a complete fuck up when it comes to being a parent?

Bella jumps down off the table and walks over to me.

I take a deep breath and wrap my arms around her.

"Will you be happy if you're pregnant?" I ask. We haven't really talked too much about kids and the future. I'm curious to know what she wants. If she's ready for this?

"I think so," she says but pauses. Her brow furrows and she looks up at me, "I'm so worried that I'll be a bad mother. What if I turn out like Renee?" she whispers the last part.

"That's not possible." I lean in and kiss her, "you'll be amazing."

The door opens and the doctor walks in with a smile, "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," he says as he closes the door. "The test came back negative. I have some birth control information here to go over. Isabella, why don't you have a seat and we can go over what you are interested in."

I feel my whole body deflate. She's not pregnant. I'm not going to be a father. And while I know I should feel relieved right now, I feel surprisingly disappointed. I look down at Bella to see a sad smile on her face.

I kiss her softly and rest my forehead against hers before smiling, "You know what doc, I think we are going to skip the birth control."

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A/N: Hello! Sorry for the delay between chapters. I must have re-written this like 3 times. I needed to shuffle through insecure Bella and move the story forward. So sorry for those of you that wanted Bella to be pregnant. It just wasn't in the plan at this point in the story. I don't know if it will be later but we'll see where they take us. Thank you for all of the reviews and alerts!

Until next time...


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

~~Bella~~

I roll my neck and take a deep breath. Today has been the longest day ever. My favorite couple, Sandra and Riley, came in today to take pictures with their new daughter. It was kind of bittersweet to take their family photograph after just finding out that I am not pregnant.

Again, I knew the chances of me being pregnant were very slim but the more I thought about it the more I wanted it. Is it a good time for me to be pregnant? No. We are still a few months away from the wedding and with Felix running around, it's just really a bad time. But I'm still disappointed. The more I think about having green eyed babies with Edward, the more I want them.

As I shut down my computer, I thought back to the doctor appointment last week and I couldn't help but chuckle at Edward. The way he kept wrinkling his nose at the people in the lobby. He was completely freaked out by all of the kids wiping their noses and hands on everything. And the pajama lady just really pissed him off. He couldn't believe that she was just too worn out to take a shower and put on real clothes.

Luckily, Dr. Johnston told me that my mood swings were most likely caused by the missed shot. The missing hormones just threw my whole body off for a little bit. Dr. Johnston said that if I didn't go back on birth control it could take up to six months before my cycle regulates enough to get pregnant. He said every woman's body is different and I would just have to see how my body reacts.

He ended up giving me a bunch of pamphlets to read and asked that I call the office if Edward and I changed our minds about the birth control. But Edward doesn't want me to go back on birth control. He said if it does take six months, we'll already have the wedding behind us and hopefully have our own house. He also said that now that the idea of a baby is in his head, he's looking forward to sharing that with me.

So, here I am back to working and wedding planning. The wedding planning is not really a problem. Edward's mother, grandmother and Rosalie have pretty much taken over. So not too many worries there but the one big thing that could cause a problem is that I have no wedding dress - Alice has disappeared.

The day after our talk at the hotel, Jasper walked into the house and announced that she was gone. Her apartment appeared to have been broken into and ransacked and she was no where to be found. Her purse was still sitting on the console along with her cell phone and laptop. So that proved it wasn't your typical robbery.

Edward and Jasper talked about this for hours. Trying to figure out if she ran or if Felix grabbed her or if she had been working with Felix all along. I worried that if Felix found out she had talked to me, he might have done something to her. Edward still doesn't find her trustworthy but I'm not sure I agree with him. I'm naturally closed off and suspicious of everyone but I never got that vibe from her. I don't know, I could be way off on this.

On the other hand, Jasper was really angry with her that day at the hotel. Jasper and Alice had been seeing each other and she never mentioned anything to him. He said he never spoke to her about his business or family but his gut is telling him that she may have used their relationship as leverage to save herself. She knew enough about him to know that he could help her if she was in trouble and she chose not to confide in him. I think I am the only person that knows about their relationship and my heart is hurting for Jasper because I think he really cares for her. I hope she didn't betray him because if she did, he might close himself off forever and he is too good a person to lock himself away.

Jasper also mentioned that it was a possibility that Alice was talking to the FBI. He said her descriptions were too vague, too cut and dry. He compared her story with my account of what happened the day I first met Felix. I was able to describe Felix to a T. The color suit he wore, shirt, tie even his watch. Alice would have noticed all of those things and more because she is a designer. She is intimately involved in the fashion industry, so the generic descriptions she gave didn't fit. And if it is the FBI, it only causes more problems because Felix ruthless in his revenge and there is no way we will be able to stay under the radar.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the back of the seat trying to relax before getting to the house.

The car pulled into the drive and Edward was opening my door as soon as the car stopped. He extended his hand to me and then took my bags. I angled myself up and kissed his lips lightly.

"Hi," he says with a grin. His eyes are sparkling and his hair is a mess. I can't help but smile back at him.

"Hi, what has you so happy?"

He laughs, "I'm just glad you're finally home."

"Well, I'm glad to be home," I respond and kiss him again.

He leads me inside the house and puts my bags on the bench that sits in the entry way. His family is sitting in the living room and there is a chorus of hello's as we walk in.

Edward sits in an oversized chair and pulls me down with him.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Nothing, actually," Esme answers. "It somehow worked out that everyone is home tonight so we thought we'd have a movie night."

I smile, "That sounds great. I'm just going to run upstairs and change." I kissed Edward's cheek before leaving the room.

I grabbed my bags and took everything to our room. I wanted to check my email before going back downstairs so I started up my computer and then walked into the closet to change out of my dress. I slipped into my most comfortable holey jeans along with a t-shirt and cardigan. I walk over to my computer and open my mail account.

The first thing I notice is an email from a sender named Security Investments. My mail is set up with a preview pane so I don't have to actually open the email to see its contents. This email has images I have seen two other times - warehouses, hotels and the waterfront. I shake my head not understanding why I keep receiving these emails.

I moved over the touch pad to delete the email but ended up scrolling and another image came onto the screen.

There is a photo of a girl that looks exactly like me. She has to be around sixteen years old and her hands and feet are bound. Her big eyes are looking straight into the camera with a fear I've never seen before. The black and white image was taken with a bright flash and she is illuminated in a bright white light making the image even more disturbing. When I scroll down a bit more there is a note,

_what's taking you so long, Isabella?_

My hands are shaking and my heart is beating out of my chest. I'm having a hard time breathing.

Big eyes.

Long hair.

Fear.

I'm gasping and I can see black dots on the edge of my vision.

_What's taking you so long, Isabella?_

What...I feel lightheaded and my vision is blurring. I try to control my breathing but every time I look up she's there, looking at me, pleading with me to help her.

I hear movement behind me and I try to speak but I can't breathe.

I feel Edward pick me up and then sit me on the bed. I could feel his hands moving over my skin. Rubbing his hands over my arms up to my neck and then massaging my scalp.

"Bella, baby, you're okay. Take deep breaths, baby. Slow and deep, come on, baby. Listen to my voice, you're okay. You're safe with me, here at the house with our family. You're safe."

He kept talking soothingly, quietly, while he ran his hands along my body. After what felt like hours, I felt like I could breathe and I took in a shaky breath and focused on Edward. His hands and his voice helped me calm down. Everything was coming back into focus and I could feel my heart rate and breathing slowing down. I felt drained, exhausted as if I had gone for a run.

I opened my eyes and found Edward looking at me. His eyes showed his relief and worry. I smiled weakly and lifted a hand to his face.

"I'm going to get you some water okay?" he asked.

He helped me sit when he got up and I drank the water he offered.

I closed my eyes and they immediately filled with tears. He pulled me to him and asked, "What is it? What happened?"

I pointed to my computer. He walked over and stood there staring at the screen. I watched his face and avoided looking at the computer, scared I would freak out again.

His face was hard and his jaw clenched. He took his phone out of his pocket and sent a message before putting the phone away. A minute later Jasper, Carlisle and Emmett walked through the door. Jasper looked at me and then the computer. His face tightened as he stood next to Edward. My husband walked back over and picked me up, sitting me on his lap.

"Isabella, I'm going to take your computer for a bit," Carlisle said before walking over and kissing the top of my head.

I rested my head on Edward's shoulder and absorbed his warmth and his scent. I felt a hand on the back of my head and I turned to see Jasper.

"We'll take care of this," he said before walking out of the room. When I heard the door click, I cried.

~~Edward~~

It's fucking cold out tonight. I'm sitting on a bench at the waterfront waiting for Paul and Emmett to show up. We have been trying to figure out what the email Bella received meant. We are pretty sure it's from Felix and the girl is Bella's sister. The email referenced the waterfront, warehouses, and hotels. All are relatively close to the other and we are going to walk along the area to see if there is anything out of place. Any clues that are sitting around waiting to be found.

I was wearing a wool coat, gloves, beanie and a scarf but it is so fucking cold. The temperature seemed to drop without any warning. I rolled my neck and shoulders trying to loosen up.

I thought back to the pictures, nothing descriptive in any of them. No names on the buildings or on the boats. The shot of the hotels was a generic photo off of the internet. I really didn't know where to start but I knew Felix wanted us to find him or the girl.

Emmett and Paul walked up dressed like me.

"Dude, it's fucking cold out tonight," Emmett said.

"What's the plan, Ed?" Paul asked.

"I just want to walk along the water here to see if anything stands out. You know, boat out of place or maybe one of the hotels. He has to be around here. I don't believe the fucker would send that email and then not want to watch the show, you know?" I pulled out a cigarette and lit up. "We'll meet Jas at Lake & Union after we get done here."

We started walking and kept our eyes open. We joked and laughed to keep anyone from getting suspicious of us. Fucking cops were all over the place tonight for some reason. As we walked along the river, I looked out over the water taking a drag on my cigarette as I turned to look back at Paul I noticed a guy watching us. He was sitting on a park bench under a street lamp. I turned away from him and punched Emmett.

"Fucker," Emmett called laughing.

I nodded, "Bench to your left."

Emmett punched me and then made it look like he was running from me. He turned to his left to look at the guy. "Hey, Paulie," Emmett called out with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah man, that's the guy from the apartment building that day, Ed. The one you saw in the parking garage."

We kept moving not paying any attention to him. "Fuck," I said under my breath. Paul said he was a detective with Chicago PD. New in town, trying to prove himself. Did he follow us here? Or did someone tip him off?

"Where did you say he came from again?"

"Washington."

"Let's get out of here."

~~u~~

"Alec said the warehouse is in New York. He has a guy checking it out. He recognized something in the picture. He figured the hotel pictures were just to let us know he's hanging around. Same with the boat. But he said that the girl just went missing a couple days ago and the mom ain't talking." Jasper shook his head and took a drink of his beer, "Bitch must be getting something out of it to let that asshole take her kid."

I couldn't figure it out. Did he expect Bella to just run to the girl's rescue? She doesn't even know her. Maybe he's just fucking with us and the pictures don't mean shit. But here we all are, out looking for this asshole while all of the women are at home. Fuck.

"Let's go," I threw a bill on the table and grabbed my coat. "Fuck, let's go."

We jumped in Jasper's truck and the detective was standing on the opposite side of the street watching us. I jumped out of the truck and walked over to him.

"Who the fuck are you? Why do I keep seeing you all over the place?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I laughed, "Look asshole, I'm not an idiot and I don't forget a face. What the fuck do you want?"

He handed me a business card, "call me if you feel like talking. Ms. Whitlock has been very helpful. I'm sure you're brother would like to know how she's doing."

I narrowed my eyes and smiled at him. "I don't think so. They don't even know each other. But thanks for the information," I looked at his business card, "Mike."

I turned and walked back across the street. I slammed the car door and Jasper took off.

When we got to the house, all of the lights were on. We pulled our guns and slowly walked around the car. Jasper pointed us in the direction he wanted us to go. The motion sensors didn't kick on like they normally do making my senses tingle. I approached the side door to the garage. It wasn't locked and made no noise as I pushed it open. There was a dim light against the wall that held tools and keys. I made my way along the wall toward the door that led into the utility room. I slowly turned the knob and listened for noise on the other side.

I pushed the door open and looked around the room before stepping in. I closed and locked the door behind me and slowly made my way into the kitchen. Bella was standing at the stove making tea. I glanced around the room and stepped out of the doorway. Bella looked up and smiled but it faded as she saw the gun in my hand.

She swallowed and walked toward me. I wasn't in view of the rest of the room but the pantry was near where I stood. As she walked closer she turned on the pantry light and walked inside. She left the door wide open blocking anyone's view of her or me. I followed her inside and pulled her against me.

I leaned in and whispered, "someone might be here. We are just being cautious. Stay here, okay?" I pulled away and she looked at me wide eyed and nodded. I leaned in and kissed her softly, "stay here."

I walked out of the pantry and made my way through the kitchen toward the family room. Nothing. But it's too quiet.

I saw Paul making his way up the stairs and a shadow crossed the lawn outside. I pulled out my phone and called the security booth and the entire property lit up like it was daytime. Whoever it was was able to make his way into the trees. I could here the chatter as the guys outside ran into the wood with our Rot's. We had four of them and they were mean as fuck with people they didn't know.

I walked back into the pantry to get Bella. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. I took her face into my hands and rested my forehead against hers.

"Why won't he just leave us alone?"

"Come on, baby," I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. We walked into the family room as everyone else made their way over to the sofa's.

"We need to move back into the city," my father said quietly. "I've called Alec and he is on the next flight out here. Everyone go pack and meet back here in thirty minutes."

I led Bella upstairs and called the security desk for the building I owned downtown. The apartments in the building were always empty in case of situations like this. There were four floors with two apartments on each floor. Plenty of room for all of us. It was a very nondescript building, brick and concrete. There were large windows and glass doors on the ground level. A small sign that read RiverFront Properties on the door but nothing else. The windows were tinted to look like mirrors so no one could see inside. A necessity in our line of work.

"RiverFront," the guard answered.

"Angelo, it's Ed. You're gonna be busy tonight. Make sure you have extra guys. We'll be there in an hour."

"Alright, boss."

Bella walked into the room and turned the light on. I looked up as I hung up the phone and Bella stopped abruptly in front of me. I placed my hands on her hips and a movement to my right caught my eye. A man sat in the club chair in the corner with a gun on his leg.

"Hello, Isabella, Edward" he said quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: So, so sorry for the delay! RL has been a little out of control. I hope you like this. It is just a little bit of a filler until we get moving again. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me so far. I hope to have the next chapter up in a reasonable amount of time.


	17. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks to SUNFLOWER3759 for pre-reading/beta'ing this for me. She's so awesome!_

~~Edward~~

My fingers tightened around Bella's waist. The man had to be about my dad's age and he wore a three piece suit, Italian shoes and a silk tie. He was obviously from one of the families but why the hell would he be in our house, our room? Did he have a death wish because he had to know this wouldn't end well for him.

He gestured to us that we should sit down and I led Bella over to the small loveseat that sat facing him. My mind was moving quickly calculating how I could get Bella from the room and what possible weapons I could use against him. How the hell did he get in here without anyone noticing?

I took a deep breath and tilted my head toward him. If I spoke I would most definitely piss him off and I couldn't take the chance that he would hurt Bella.

"So, I guess you're wondering who I am..." he trailed off. He let out a humorless chuckle. He placed a handgun on the side table next to him and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked at Bella for what seemed like an eternity before turning to me. "I'm Daniel Aro, Carlo's son."

Bella gasped and he turned his attention back to her. "Isabella," he stopped talking and shook his head.

"Why are you here?" I asked, trying to control the rage that was building at an Aro, a rival family member, being in our house, uninvited.

He stood and started pacing in front of us. "This is..." he stopped pacing and looked directly at me. "Look, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be here. I came here to try and make amends."

I frowned and chuckled, incredulous. Amends? What the fuck does that mean?

"Alexandra is my sister," my eyebrows shot up at his confession. The girl is his sister. "I know Felix has her somewhere here in Chicago and I know he has contacted you," he said the last part looking directly at Bella. "I want Alexandra back. My father has done a lot of fucked up things in his life but this..." he started pacing again. "And I don't know what the hell happened with your mother. Jesus, he's old enough to be her father but it didn't stop him. He was an angry man after Sal died and he wanted revenge. Your mother was supposed to..." he stopped and took a breath. "When they were in Italy, I stepped in and took responsibility for Alexandra and your mother didn't like that. Alexandra was barely holding it together in Italy and now..."

Bella stiffened in my arms and I looked over at her. She had a fierce look on her face, "Why won't all of you just leave us alone? What have I ever done to your family to deserve all of this? I don't even know my mother and I'm sorry about Alexandra, I am. But this is not my problem!" she yelled.

She was tense and I could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves. I pulled her closer and ran my hands along her arms and back.

"Look, Felix is...he's had a rough life." Daniel sat down in the chair and leaned forward. I felt Bella take a breath to speak but I squeezed her gently hoping she'd take the hint and stay quiet. "His parents were killed in their home and Felix came to live with my family. He looked up to Salvatore, called him his brother, and what Sal did caused so much damage. And Felix has focused all of that hate on your family for years. I know I should have stepped in sooner, but I can't change that now. Alec is my brother and the head of our family but he's taking too long to resolve this. We need to find the girl and take care of Felix, regardless of the embarrassment this will cause. If we don't do something, Felix will find a way to get to you and trust me, you don't want to know what he's capable of."

The bedroom door slammed against the wall and I turned to find Jasper standing in the doorway with a gun pointed at Daniel's head. Daniel slowly raised his hands in surrender. I stood and took the gun from the side table before walking back over to Bella.

"Baby, go downstairs and stay with Rosalie and my mother."

She stood slowly and walked out of the room. By this time all of the men in the house were present, all of them holding a gun directed at Daniel Aro. I sat back down on the couch and said, "Danny, you might want to start from the beginning."

~~u~~

I walked downstairs after listening to Daniel's story. He is the Aro family attorney, straight laced, and white collared. He doesn't run the streets, never ran the streets. He wants to right a wrong committed by his family by trying to protect a sixteen year old girl that no one else seemed to care about.

I have to give him credit though, he walked into our house knowing that he might be killed before he had a chance to speak. But he was smart enough to know that being in the same room with Bella would keep him alive long enough for someone to hear him out.

And Alec doesn't have a fucking clue that he is here. Wait until that shit hits the fan. The man must have balls of steel or be really fucking stupid.

I could hear my mother talking in the kitchen. Water was running and I could hear the crackling of something cooking.

"Our men will handle this sweetheart, don't you worry. I've been involved with this family a long time, this will all be resolved in good time."

I walked into the kitchen to find Bella standing at the island stirring something in a sauce pan. Her head was tilted to the side and one foot rested on top of the other as she carefully stirred and added ingredients. She looked completely at ease but I knew that her mind was working a mile a minute. My mother looked over at me and smiled sympathetically.

Bella's eyes found me and I made my way into the room. She gave me a soft smile but continued stirring the sauce. I stood behind her resting my hands on her hips.

She took the spoon from the pan and turned slightly to offer me a taste.

"That's good, lemony," I said with a smile.

"It's lemon sauce for the pasta."

My mom brought the pasta over and placed the bowl in front of Bella. She poured sauce over the pasta taking the time to mix the pasta before adding more sauce. She topped the pasta with a little parmesan and set it to the side.

" Do you want to finish packing so we can go into the city?" I asked quietly.

She looked up at me, "we're still leaving?"

"Yes, I don't want to take any chances and I don't think I want to sleep in that room any time soon."

She nodded and looked over at my mother, "Esme, the pasta is ready."

"Thank you, Isa. Edward please let your father know that dinner is ready."

I nodded and kissed my mother on the cheek before taking Bella's hand and leading her up the stairs.

We packed quickly and walked down the hall to Jasper's room to say goodbye. We could hear him talking on the phone as we entered. When he saw us, he hung up quickly and walked over to Bella and took her into his arms.

"How are you doing, _sorellina_?"

Bella hugged him back tightly before saying she was okay. He nodded and looked over at me, "you going to the apartment?"

"Yep, we'll be on the top floor, baby."

"Asshole," he laughed and pulled away from Bella slightly to look at her. "We are going to get this taken care of. Don't worry."

She smiled and he kissed her forehead. "Okay, get out of here. I got shit to do."

I shook my head and Bella and I walked downstairs and got into the car that was waiting for us.

Paul and Bella talked on the way downtown and I was glad to see that Bella was doing okay considering how our day had turned out.

I couldn't help but wonder what would happen now. Alec was on his way to Chicago to talk to my father about the situation with Felix. And Daniel Aro had broken into our house to tell us he didn't think Alec was doing enough to get the situation under control. Two members of the same rival family at odds, and our family was in the middle of it.

Jasper was going to deal with Daniel, and my father would deal with Alec. That would keep everyone's stories straight and hopefully give us a better chance of getting Felix out of the way. I was still fucking spinning at the fact that Carlo Aro was the man that found Renee Buccieri in Washington and that he had actually knocked her up and then abandoned her, defying his family and throwing a big fuck you at the Buccieri's.

I feel bad for the kid, Alexandra. She had basically been living for the past sixteen years on the run, in fear. And her mother couldn't get her shit together enough to take care of her own daughter. Either of her daughters, for that matter. I looked over at Bella, I wondered if she would want to get to know the girl, her sister. I gently slid her hair behind her shoulder and she smiled.

~~u~~

I stopped and talked to Angelo when got inside. Bella stood off to the side looking around the lobby. I had to admit that the building was pretty nice. Marble floors, nice moulding and shit. I really wanted Bella to like it here. She continued looking around as we made our way to the elevator that would take us up to our apartment. Our apartment, I like how that sounds.

I've been a little out of control lately, I can fucking admit that. Hell, I know I'm doing it and I can't stop myself. And Bella, God bless her, has been putting up with my crazy ass. I want to tell everyone that Bella is my wife, I want to call her Isabella Cullen. Of course, we can't tell anyone yet, I know that, I mean, technically we aren't even married yet.

I let out a chuckle thinking about my stupid ass at the doctor's office with Bella. It was pissing me off that she kept brushing my comments off and talking to me like a fucking five year old. But looking back on it, I was acting like a five year old. But I still can't get over the fucking pajama lady in the waiting room.

I pulled my key out when we got in the elevator and placed it in the slot to make the elevator work.

"A key?"

"No one can get into the apartments without one and the only people that have keys are family."

She nodded and narrowed her eyes at me. Not in anger or frustration, but like she was trying to figure something out.

"What?"

She shrugged and looked away from me for a moment. My eyes didn't leave her as I watched her get her thoughts together. I love seeing her when she is like this, in her own world, I would give anything to hear what runs through her head.

"I'm sorry I've been such a basket case lately. I know I have, so you don't have to pretend I haven't," she said with a raised eyebrow.

I smiled at her and narrowed my eyes.

"But I love you so much it scares me sometimes, you know?" she looked down at her shoe and dug her toe into the carpet. She's nervous. "I've never felt like this. It's overwhelming, and I thought that it was too easy, too perfect, and then Alice showed up and I let my imagination go crazy." She rested her head against the wall of the elevator and looked me in the eye, "I'm sorry, I know I hurt you. And I don't care about what happened before we were together. It isn't important and doesn't make a difference. I've given my heart and soul to you."

I was leaning against the elevator on the opposite side of her. I stared at her and she stared right back. The elevator rang and the doors opened. We stood there for a few seconds staring at each other, not moving.

"I love you," she said quietly her eyes boring into mine.

I took the two steps needed to get over to her and picked her up, wrapping her legs around me. She was wearing jeans with a pink t-shirt and a grey sweater. Her hair was in a ponytail with the shorter hair in front sweeping to one side. And her eyes, my God they were so bright, swimming with unshed tears, but full of the love she held for me. She looked more beautiful than I'd ever seen her.

I kicked our bags into the hallway allowing the elevator to close and I pushed her up against the wall. "Bella," I leaned in to kiss her softly. "I know that things have been crazy lately and a lot of shit has happened. But you need to stop dwelling on the past. We talked about this, it's done, over. Let's leave it here, okay? No more guilt or apologies." I looked into her eyes and a single tear slid down her cheek but she was smiling and nodding her consent.

I pushed my body closer to hers and smiled. I leaned in and kissed her cheeks and the corner of her mouth. "You know what?" I asked wanting to lighten the mood.

She shook her head and I leaned in to place a kiss just underneath her ear.

"I love that you accept me as I am and that you flirt with my grandfather and that you cook dinner with my mother and share secrets with my brother, _your brother. _I love _you_, all of you, always," I whispered as I leaned in to kiss her.

She sighed my name and I felt it on my tongue. Her love washed over me and I absorbed it with everything that I am. Her fingers were playing with my hair while my tongue danced with hers.

"Mmmhmmm, let's get out of the hallway," I whispered against her neck. "I want you naked, moaning my name."

Her legs squeezed my hips before she let them drop. She grazed my bottom lip with her teeth and I squeezed her ass. She smiled and kissed my lips quickly before picking up her purse.

I grabbed our bags and walked to the middle of the hallway opening up the apartment. I flipped on the lamp in the entry way and gestured for her to walk in.

"Wow," she said quietly.

The apartment is nice, amazing actually. My mother decorated the place, just like she did with all of our homes, but she seemed to put a little something extra into this apartment. It wasn't as masculine and straight lined as my other place. It had softer touches, more color, more comfort. As I stood in the entry way, I wondered why I didn't spend more time here.

I looked around again and realized how perfect Bella fit in this room. My eyes shot up at the realization that this was meant to be her home. I turned my attention toward her and watched her as she looked around. She had a slight smile on her face and her hand ran along the back of the sofa. I took in the room again, trying to see what she sees.

Dark wood floor, cream colored sofas, glass topped coffee table framed in dark wood. The large photograph of my grandparent's home in Italy framed above the fireplace. Floor to ceiling windows on two walls with plush velvet curtains. What did she see? Does she see this as a place we can share? Somewhere we can live, together?

I walked up behind her wrapping my arms around her. One arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist, "So, what do you think?"

"Edward," she turned her head to look up at me. "I love it, it's perfect."

I leaned in and kissed her, "Good. Now, I think I said something about you naked and moaning." I shifted quickly and picked her up bridal style making her squeal and laugh.

~~Bella~~

I was lying on top of Edward using the rhythm of his breathing to help me relax. I don't know why I'm awake. We made love all night. I am effectively worn out but my brain won't shut off. There is just too much going on.

I realize I've been acting crazy. Actually, I have been completely out of control. Instead of retreating into myself like I normally do, I became an emotional wreck. What happened to confident, independent Bella?

I ran my fingers through the hair at the nape of Edward's neck and smiled. Well, no more crazy Bella. She is stressing me out. And I think Edward has been feeding off of her crazy. I took a deep breath and turned to place a kiss over Edward's heart before getting up, trying not to disturb him.

I slipped on Edward's button up and stepped out into the living room. The apartment really is beautiful. The drapes were closed over the windows making me feel like I was in a cocoon. I walked into the kitchen and placed the tea kettle on the stove. Carlisle still hasn't returned my laptop so I picked up my phone to see if I had any messages that needed my attention. I didn't see anything that couldn't be dealt with later.

I had made Charlotte the office manager at the gallery since I had been gone so much lately. It worked out perfectly since she said she was bored being stuck in the apartment all day. She had things under control and sent me an email every night letting me know what was going on. I still handled the books myself, I wasn't that trusting with my baby.

I hate to admit it, but it is nice being able to take time off without worrying about what is going on at the office. Thinking about Charlotte reminded me that I hadn't spoken to Peter in a long time. Charlotte said he is sad at the way things panned out and that he misses me but she understands why I have kept my distance. She is still pretty angry with him, too, but he's her husband, the father of her child. Some things are more important. Family is more important.

I looked at my phone and decided I would extend the olive branch, I would text him and say hello. I was tired of being angry and holding grudges. He was my childhood friend, the man that had helped me when my dad passed away. I know he loves me and he was just trying to protect his family. My decision made, I sent the text.

_Hi Petey – B_

I turned off my phone and set it on the counter. I could hear the water boiling and moved it from the stove before the tea kettle had a chance to whistle. I made a nice cup of English tea and made my way over to the sofa by the fireplace. I flipped the switch and smiled when the flame burst to life. Gotta love electric fireplaces. There were books on either side of the fireplace and I skimmed the titles before pulling _A Farewell to Arms _ off of the shelf. I wondered if Edward owned this book because he enjoyed it or if someone had picked it out for him. But as I started reading, the crass prose made me shake my head and smile.

I felt a tingling running along my back. I hummed and felt the tingle move down my leg. I stretched out and realized I was back in bed. Edward must have come looking for me. I smiled and turned my head to the side that was in the shadow. "What are you doing?" I asked sleepily.

I felt kisses along my shoulder blade and the tingle of his fingertips following their earlier path along my back. More kisses followed as I felt his body shift closer to mine and his hand trailed down my thigh. He pulled my legs apart and his fingers moved along the inside of my thigh. I sucked in a breath at the feel of his hands on me.

I felt his forehead on my back as his fingers danced along my sex. Wet kisses littered my back and I couldn't hold back my moan at the sensation. I sank further into the bed when his weight pressed onto me. He slipped in quickly, quietly and the feeling was exquisite. I was so full, he touched every part of me this way.

He groaned when he was fully inside of me. Delicious.

The slow rocking motion, combined with his hand fisting in my hair had my body humming. He slid in and out slowly, savoring the motion. I couldn't move because his body covered mine entirely. One of his hands held both of mine above my head. I concentrated on the feel of him above me, his hips rolling over mine, the goosebumps that broke out on my neck when he kissed me. My stomach was tightening and I moaned his name.

He pulled out quickly and flipped me over and was inside of me again as he wrapped my legs around his waist, lifting me up slightly. I loved being so consumed by him. He was leaning over me and I ran my hands along his arms, to his shoulders, stopping when I was able to tangle my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. I tugged and he groaned, moving faster inside of me. I closed my eyes as the tightness in my stomach hit me full force. _"Edward,_" I moaned again.

He shifted and pulled me toward him. I moved my hands above my head as I watched our bodies move together. It was beautiful to see us together in this way. The dim light of the morning peeking through the curtains made the act even more beautiful, perfect. I gasped as Edward's hand moved along my lips, his fingers just at the point where we connected. He could feel us moving together, in and out and it made me clench my insides together. I moved my hand to join his wanting to feel what he felt. His slickness covered my fingertips as I tangled my fingers with his. He used just enough pressure to make me jump, the coil becoming to hard to control.

"Bella, baby, I need to come," he grunted and I moved my hand slightly to guide his fingers to the spot that would unravel me. His rough fingertip moved in quick circles causing me to clench around him and he hissed. He picked up one of my legs resting it on his shoulder and licked my calf before scraping his teeth softly against the sensitive skin. It sent me over the edge, my whole body arching and vibrating against him. His hands tightened around my ankle and hip as he stopped moving and pulsed inside of me.

I collapsed on the bed and tried to catch my breath, I think I was even wheezing a little bit. Dear God, the things this man could do to me. He adjusted himself and rested his head on my chest. I automatically ran my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp, helping him come down from the high.

He looked up at me and smiled before leaning in to kiss me, "Good morning."

"I'll say," I laughed.

He got up and walked into the bathroom coming back to bed with a warm washcloth. He cleaned me up gently and kissed my skin and I fell back to sleep in his arms.

~~u~~

I stretched and felt deliciously tight from our morning activities. I smiled and wrapped the sheet tighter around myself trying to wake up a little more. My eyes roamed around the room. It was missing something. It was nicely decorated but impersonal. Maybe I could work on that today, maybe Edward and I could spend the day shopping.

As I woke up fully, I could hear the humming of voices coming from another room. Was someone here already? What time is it?

I climbed out of bed and into the shower deciding it was better to start my day, especially if there were already people here. I dressed in a casual jersey knit dress with a cardigan and ballet flats. Depending on the temperature outside, I might have to change before going out later but this is good for now. I quickly dried my hair and decided to skip the make up today, except for mascara. For some reason I feel naked without it.

When I walked into the bedroom, Edward was lying in the middle of the bed. He was already dressed for the day in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, bare feet. Ugh, he knows what that does to me. I walked over to him and straddled his waist before resting on his chest. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me.

"Hi," he said quietly and kissed me.

"Hi," I said back with a smile.

"My parents are here. I didn't know if you could hear them or not but I didn't want you to be surprised when you walked out there."

I nodded, "I heard their voices. Is there food? I'm starving."

He laughed and the way his body moved made my insides tingle. Apparently, he had the same reaction because he groaned. He sat up taking me with him. He kissed me hard. "Let's go before I start undressing you," he said gruffly and I laughed.

~~u~~

The day had been beyond busy. Charlotte had me scheduled for back to back appointments all morning. It was hard to get back into the groove but it also reminded me how much I love photography. I feel bad that I have been so negligent of it lately.

I sat at my desk and looked at my computer, I was a little hesitant to open it up after what had happened the last time. As always, with perfect timing, Jasper and Edward walked into the office, and I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"Hey, baby, you okay?"

I smiled and tilted my head up for a kiss. "I was just going to check my email."

Edward nodded and winked at me before leaning over and skimming the From names quickly, "anyone here you don't recognize?"

He closed the preview pane so I could focus on the name and not the possible email message attached. I shook my head and he kissed the top of it before sitting next to Jasper.

"So, what's up? What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"It's lunch time, Isa. Where we headed today?" Jasper asked while playing with his phone.

I raised an eyebrow wondering what I wanted to eat. I missed breakfast this morning so I was actually starving. "Italian?"

They nodded and stood up. I locked my computer and got up from my chair when the phone rang. "Hey, Charlotte, I was just heading out to lunch."

"Bella, there is someone from Alistair on the line asking about the proofs from the last shoot you did. I'm not sure what to tell her."

"It's okay, put her through please," I looked at Edward, "give me a minute, okay?"

The line clicked through, "Hello, this is Isabella."

"Isabella, don't hang up. Please. You need to get out of there, now. There are FBI agents on their way to your gallery. I'm sorry, Bella. Please, tell Jasper I'm sorry."

The line went dead and I looked up at the two men in front of me. "We have to go, now. I'll explain in the car...trust me."

I grabbed my computer, purse and coat and walked out of the office toward Charlotte. "Sweetie, I'm heading out for the day. I have a meeting with Alistair this afternoon so I won't be available. If there are no other appointments for the day, go ahead and close up, okay? Enjoy the afternoon."

Charlotte smiled and gave me a quick hug. "Thanks, Bells. I'll call you if anything comes up before I leave."

"Okay, bye."

Once we reached the sidewalk, I took Edward's hand and Jasper's arm and said, "We are getting a cab. Have someone come pick up the car."

Jasper frowned at me as Edward flagged down a cab. As if by divine intervention, one happened by at that moment. Once inside, I asked the driver to take us to Fulton's. Edward and Jasper hadn't spoken but I could see the worried looks on their faces. They knew that I was reacting to the phone call. I leaned into Edward and kissed his cheek before whispering, "is anyone following us?" His eyebrows rose in surprise and he cautiously began to take in our surroundings.

I kept my head on his shoulder and my other hand held Jasper's. I could feel my body shaking with nerves and anticipation, as I contemplated what could happen next.

When we arrived at Fulton's, Edward got out first and then turned to take my hand as I exited the cab. Jasper followed.

Once we were all on the sidewalk, Edward quietly said to his brother, "Jasper, it's the guy from the other night." Jasper was on his phone, or pretending to be, and nodded as he turned to pay the driver.

Edward led me toward the doors of the restaurant wrapping an arm around me tightly.

"He's walking over here, Ed," Jasper said quietly.

"Isabella? Isabella Swan is that you?"

Surprised, I turned to see who was calling my name. Holy fucking shit. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest, "Mike?"

"Hey," he smiled. "I thought that was you. How are you?" he asked with a smile and leaned in to hug me but not before he looked at both Jasper and Edward.

"I'm great and you? What are you doing in Chicago?" I asked. My mind was running on overdrive...First Alice's call and then Mike? What the hell is he doing here? Is he FBI now? Mike was on the police force in Fork's before transferring to Seattle right before I left for college.

"I just recently transferred here. I'm trying to work my way up the ladder, you know?"

I smiled, "Sounds great."

"Who are your friends?" he asked, smirking slightly. Trying to be friendly.

"Oh, this is my fiance and his brother," I answered not giving their names. I looked up at Edward, "this is Michael Newton, he was on the force with my father."

Edward smiled, no, smile is not the word. He was smirking, like he knew a secret the rest of us didn't. "Mikey, nice to see you again."

Mike's confidence wavered a bit but he collected himself enough to shake Edward's hand.

"We were just heading inside for lunch. I would invite you but I'm sure you would be bored to death since we'll be discussing our upcoming wedding," I said quickly not wanting him to invite himself along.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to intrude. Enjoy your lunch. It was nice to see you again, Isabella. Maybe we can get together for lunch sometime?" I only smiled as he nodded toward Edward and Jasper and walked away.

Edward opened the door for me and we walked in. I went to the podium and asked the hostess if Tanya was available.

"Isabella," Tanya called me with a smile and gave me a tight hug. "Did we have an appointment today?"

"Hi Tanya, no, no. We didn't have an appointment but I need your help." She looked over at Edward and her eyes widened when she took in Jasper's appearance.

"Okay," she said slowly, "how can I help?"

I grabbed her hand and walked away from the door so we could chat quietly. "Tanya, I will buy you the most beautiful pair of shoes if you will show us how to get out of this building without being seen."

Her eyes shot up and she glanced at all of us again, apprehension visible in her eyes. Her focus settled on Jasper before she spoke again. "Is everything okay, Isabella?"

"I am completely fine, Tanya, but we really need to get out of here."

She nodded, "follow me."

She led us through a maze of dining rooms, through the kitchen, a stock room and then offices. She led us into a security room that housed cameras showing all sides of the restaurant. Mike Newton was sitting on a bus bench across the street watching the front entrance. I didn't see anything abnormal but then again, I wasn't entirely sure what I should be looking for.

There was one exit, a loading zone, that appeared to be clear of people.

"We need to get there," Jasper said quietly. "A truck will be here in five minutes to pick us up."

Tanya nodded and led us in the direction of the loading area. I noticed that she kept glancing at Jasper and blushing and I wondered if she knew who he was. Jasper was trying not to be obvious but I noticed him smirk several times after catching Tanya's gaze.

A truck was pulling in as we arrived and Jasper nodded as he hung up his phone.

"Thank you, you're a life saver," I hugged Tanya before turning to leave.

She leaned in and whispered, "any way I can get his phone number?"

I smiled and shook my head, "I'll let you know."

She nodded, "Red, I want red, Louboutin."

"You got it. Thank you, again."

Funny enough, the back of this truck had a sofa in it. Weird but convenient.

"Okay, Bella, what the hell is going on?" Edward asked as soon as the truck started moving. I relayed the phone conversation with Alice and told them that I decided we'd go to Fulton's in case there were bugs in the gallery that heard our plan to have Italian for lunch. The rest they already knew.

The rest of the ride was quiet. Neither Edward nor Jasper said anything about where we were going but I had faith that we would get there safely. Twenty minutes later we stopped and the back door of the truck lifted.

"Well, hello," Paul chuckled.

We were in a parking garage. As Paul helped me off of the truck, I looked around and noticed that both Edward and Jasper's cars were parked to the left.

"Are we at the apartment?" I asked no one in particular.

Edward chuckled, "yep, underground parking."

"Ah, nice."

We made our way to the elevators and up to the top floor. Edward led us into our apartment where his mother was already preparing food. I get the sense that this is going to be a common occurrence.

After saying hello to everyone, I caught Edward's hand. "Babe, I'm going to go change before I help your mom."

He followed me into the bedroom and as soon as the door closed he pulled me into a tight hug. After a few minutes, he stepped back and kissed me lightly on my lips. Small, chaste pecks.

"Baby, are you okay?" I asked him.

He nodded and took a deep breath, "I hate that you were in danger today."

"Edward, I wasn't. You and Jasper were with me. Nothing really happened, just a little Cloak and Dagger."

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "the police, FBI, whatever, are going to be following us now. Jasper's trying to find out what's going on but he knows it has to do with Alice after her call to you today. We need to be careful, _you_ need to be careful."

"I know, I will," I answer him. "I won't go anywhere without you knowing."

He nods and kisses me sweetly. My heart melts at the softness and love he shows me.

"I'm going to go back out there."

I nod, "Okay." I kiss his chest, right over his heart, before walking toward the closet. I turn to see him standing at the door. His hand is on the door knob, "Edward," I call out to him.

He turns and looks at me questioningly "I love you," I say with a smile.

His answer is a smile and a wink before he walks out the door.

*************u************u**************u***************u**************u**************u**************u******************u

A/N: Thanks to all of you for reading and taking the time to review!


	18. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_A million thanks to SUNFLOWER3759 for pre-reading/betaing this for me! You are amazing! _

~~Bella~~  
>I couldn't stop the disappointment from flooding my system every time we walked out of another store empty handed. We have been all over the place today and I haven't found one dress that I liked. Really, how difficult can finding a wedding dress be? There are thousands of them in magazines and online but the moment I need one, I can't find a dress, my dress, the perfect dress to marry Edward in.<p>

I keep thinking maybe I should just give in and wear the dress I bought in Italy but I can't bring myself to  
>accept that idea, yet. That dress is special and only meant for the two of us. That dress is our reminder that I fully committed myself to Edward and the Cullen family that day. Unfortunately, I may not have a choice if I don't find something else soon.<p>

"Isa, honey," Esme called out to get my attention, "I know you are trying to find a unique dress but going from boutique to boutique doesn't seem to be working. I think we just need to hit an actual bridal salon and start there."

I stopped walking and looked over at her, frowning. I wanted to scream out my frustration right there on the sidewalk but I nodded and took a deep breath, "I know, you're right. I just want the perfect dress."

"Honey, we'll find it. I have a good feeling about this."

Esme unlocked the car and we all climbed in. I sank into the back seat, letting the buttery, soft leather hug me and soothe me.

In a matter of minutes we were parked and making our way inside another store. I didn't want to shop in a place that had tons of dresses and sales people fawning over us to make a sale. I wanted a place that was personal and elegant. A place that didn't sell dresses that every other bride in Chicago has already worn.

We walked inside and as I expected there were racks of dresses placed strategically around the store. It appeared that each rack held a specific style of dresses from simple and elegant to loud and poofy. I took a deep breath trying to push the negativity to the back of my mind. A sales woman made her way toward us and smiled.

"Hello, my name is Liza," she held a hand out to me.

"Hello, I'm Isabella and this is Esme and Rosalie."

"Lovely to meet you all, what can I help you with today?"

"I am looking for a wedding dress and dresses for the mother of the groom and bridesmaids."

"Alright, how many bridesmaids?" she asked politely.

"Three. I am leaning toward blues and silvers, depending on the style."

"Of course, when is the wedding?"

I sighed, "December."

"Oh my," she said quietly, "okay, a bit of a time crunch but I think we can make it work. Why don't you take a look around while I prepare some things for you to look at."

I smiled and thanked her. I quickly looked around the store not really moving from the spot I stood in. I was hoping that my eye would focus on something like it did when I had my camera. The store wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. It was well organized, and I noticed that the shiny wood floors reflected off of the white fabric, casting an almost luminous glow. There were accessories strategically placed around the store and small tables with chairs set in different areas allowing the brides to plan and order dresses. I felt my shoulders loosen a bit and took a deep breath preparing to actually look at the dresses.

What I wasn't prepared for, was to see 'the' dress hanging on a rack all by itself in the back of the store. In my haze , I could actually envision a spotlight shining on it, displaying all of its beauty. I slowly walked toward the dress taking in all of the details I could see. The satin and lace flowed seamlessly from one fabric to the other. The satin was pulled up on the left side leaving a heavy skirt of lace that flowed into a chapel train. It was the perfect mixture of classic and romantic.

An older woman approached me, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I nodded and smiled, "yes, it is."

"A young woman ordered this weeks ago and came in to try it on this morning. She decided that it wasn't quite her style." The woman was fingering the lace delicately with a smirk on her face. "It didn't show enough of her assets."

I snorted at the idea. The girl must be really young if her main concern about her wedding dress was showing some cleavage.

"So this dress is available, if you're interested," she trailed off. "Otherwise, we are going to send it back to the designer."

I bit my lip to stop myself from squealing. I looked over at her and she had a knowing look on her face, the look that said 'this is your dress and you know it'.

"I'd like to try it on, please."

She smiled, grabbed the dress and lead me into a dressing room. The room was huge with a platform in the middle and large mirrors were set up in a grouping of three. The main entrance was draped with heavy curtains. It was very appealing, I could picture doing a photo shoot in a room like this.

"Okay, why don't you get out of your clothes and I will get you into this dress."

I stripped quickly out of my clothes using the available hangers and hooks on the wall behind the mirrors. I kept my shoes on not wanting to walk on the carpet in my bare feet.

Audrey, the sales woman, helped me slip into the dress and buttoned it up the back. The dress alone was exquisite. The bust was covered in heavily beaded lace and the satin ruched just underneath the bustline, flowing into a satin skirt with beaded appliques that swirled around and followed the direction of the fabric. The satin folded over as it gathered on the left side to reveal the heavy lace skirt underneath.

I absolutely loved it. It was not something I had ever seen anyone else wear and I could already picture myself wearing this dress while taking my vows with Edward. I couldn't stop the wide smile that crossed my face as I looked at myself in the mirror.

I turned to Audrey, "will you please call my family in here?"

She smiled kindly, "Of course, dear."

A moment later I heard a gasp and I turned to see Esme covering her mouth with tears in her eyes. "Oh Isa, you look beautiful."

I smiled brightly and turned to Rosalie who had a huge smile on her face, "it's perfect, Isa. Edward won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

I let out a deep breath and looked in the mirror again. Twisting and turning to see every angle of the dress. "Audrey, this is the dress."

"Okay, honey. Let's get to work."

Audrey pinned the dress and confirmed the height of the heel I would be wearing. While that was happening, Esme also found a fabulous floor length gown in a blue topaz. It looked lovely on her and would work nicely with the blue I'd chosen for Angela, Charlotte and Rosalie.

Rosalie had suggested flying to New York to look for the bridesmaid dresses but I didn't think Edward would go for that. I didn't want to push his buttons any more than necessary right now.

After some paperwork and scheduling another appointment for alterations, we walked out of the store. When we reached the sidewalk, Esme pulled me into a hug. "Isa, you are the perfect woman for my son and I am thankful everyday that he found someone that is able to bring him out of his shell."

I couldn't stop the tears that formed from her words. "Thank you, Esme. I love Edward with my whole heart and I can't wait to marry him."

She laughed and kissed my cheek. "This is going to be such a wonderful wedding."

We left the parking lot and Esme drove to the Omni Hotel. We were having a late lunch at the restaurant inside of the hotel. The door was opened and I took the extended hand to help me out of the car. Esme, Rosalie and I made our way into the lobby only to be stopped by a tug on my arm. I pulled away slightly and turned toward the person who touched me.

I frowned and my mind started working quickly.

"Hey, Isabella. I thought that was you. How are you?"

"Mike," I said cooly. "I'm fine, and you?" I was agitated that he was here. That he seemed to always know where I was.

He leaned in closer to me, "I'm great, thank you for asking." He turned and looked over at Esme and Rosalie with a big smile. "Ladies, you look lovely this afternoon. I'm Mike Newton and you are?"

Esme narrowed her eyes and Rosalie raised an eyebrow at him before looking at me, "Isabella, we're late for lunch."

"Mike," I paused, I wasn't sure what to say. But Mike beat me to it.

"See you around, Isabella."

I narrowed my eyes at him and followed Rosalie and Esme into the restaurant, my phone already in my hand.

Edward's voicemail picked up, "Baby, call me when you get this." I hung up and looked back only to find Mike sitting on one of the sofa's in the lobby. He smiled and nodded his head at me in acknowledgment and all I could do was curse under my breath.

~~Edward~~

"Fottuto idiota, chi diavolo si crede di essere?"

Emmett looked over at me and laughed.

"This isn't fucking funny, Emmett," I yelled at him.

Emmett just shook his head and kept laughing. I shook my head and looked back into the crates in front of me. Fucking idiot.

"What the hell are we supposed to do with all of this fucking fish?" I yelled out to no one in particular.

Emmett finally lost it and almost fell over laughing. He grabbed onto Paul who was laughing just as hard. I couldn't help but smile at the two assholes in front me. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"You fuckers won't be laughing when Carlisle smells this shit."

They sobered up a little bit and got back to opening up the crates. "man, Rosie's not gonna let me in the damn house smelling like this."

I shook my head, fucking Chen. The asshole was always doing shit like this. I pulled another baggie from the gutted fish and threw it into the box we had set up between us.

"We have to fucking get him back for this, Ed," Paul said.

I nodded because my mind was already working on this. "We should send him fucking fortune cookies with the directions of where to pick up his shit."

Emmett looked over at me and started laughing again. "Holy shit! Can you imagine Chen's face when he opens up a crate of fucking fortune cookies?" He howled with laughter. "Paul," he called out but couldn't finish his sentence because he was laughing so hard. Whatever he was planning was going to be fucking epic. "Paul, we need to do this shit."

I chuckled and shook my head.

Once we counted all of the money we recovered from the fish, we took turns showering in the upstairs office. Fucking fish.

I walked down the stairs to see some of the guys cleaning up the warehouse. "I'm out, call me if anything."

"Later, Ed."

When I got into the car, I pulled my phone out of the center console. I unlocked it and saw I had a couple missed calls.

I hit the voicemail button and pulled onto the road. "Ed, it's me. Call me when you get done." I hit delete and the next message played, "Baby, call me when you get this." I frowned, Bella sounded kinda pissed.

I called Jasper first and let him know everything went okay with the shipment and all the money was there. He laughed when I told him where the money was. I hung up quickly and dialed Bella's number.

It went to voicemail, "Hey baby, I'm on my way home," I said and hung up. I turned the music up and lit a cigarette, inhaling greedily after being denied all day. Fucking fish.

~~u~~

I walked into a quiet apartment and called Bella's name.

"I'm in here," she called from the back of the apartment.

I made my way to the bedroom, shrugging off my jacket and tie. I hung them in the closet and then took off my shoes. The bathroom was bathed in candlelight and I could make out a wine glass on the floor.

I walked in to see my beautiful wife in a bubble bath with her hair up in a messy bun. "Hey," she said with a smile when I entered the room.

I leaned down and kissed her lips, "Hi."

Her smile brightened and she tipped her lips back to mine. "Join me," she said. I smiled and undressed, not taking my eyes off of her.

Her eyes watched every movement as I removed my clothes, it was fucking sexy the way she looked at me, the way she wanted me. My dick was already hard and she hadn't even touched me.

She licked her lips and smiled at me before motioning for me to sit in front of her. "How was shopping with mom and Rosie?" I asked her as I wrapped my fingers around her calves.

She pushed me forward and I turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, "I found my dress!" she yelled out and then kissed my lips quickly. "Edward, è il vestito più bello."

I chuckled at her excitement, "I'm happy you finally found it, baby."

"Me too. I was getting worried that I would have to share my Italian dress with everyone."

I nodded, understanding that she didn't want to wear the dress she wore when we married in Italy. Honestly, I didn't want anyone to see it either. It was a memory between us and I didn't want to share it.

Bella pulled me back against her and ran her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes and hummed in contentment when she started massaging my scalp.

"How about you, everything went okay today?" I smiled. She never asked me for details or specifics. She only wanted to know that 'work' was okay.

"Yeah, it was alright."

I felt her nod. "That feels good," I said. She leaned in and placed a kiss on my neck.

"Why did you call me earlier?" I asked her. She tensed slightly and I turned to look up at her. She ran her fingers along my chest before wrapping her hand around my neck lightly, her fingers playing with the hair just behind my ear.

"Mike Newton was at the restaurant we went to this afternoon. I think he's following me, Edward. He always seems to be wherever I am," she said quietly. "He makes me nervous."

I nodded and kissed her lips softly, "I'll see what I can do about it." She leaned into me and kissed me again. It was soft, her lips on mine, teasing me with her tongue. I shifted and wrapped an arm around her waist shifting our positions so she was straddling me.

Her hands wrapped themselves in my hair as my hands moved up her thighs before gripping her ass and pulling her tight against me. She gasped and then moaned as my lips traveled along her neck. My hand traveled up her body grazing her breast before wrapping around her neck. I angled her face to mine and kissed her again. The need was like a fire burning through my system, and I had to be closer to her, tighter against her.

She pulled away and stood up. My stomach tightened at the sight before me. My eyes traveled along her beautiful, wet body. Bubbles were sliding along her stomach and legs and my dick was harder than it had ever been. I swallowed loudly as she stepped out of the bath tub. She grabbed the towel that sat on the counter and toweled herself off slowly, her eyes watching me the whole time. At one point, her eyes closed and she took a shaky breath.

"Edward," she said in a voice filled with want. I looked into her eyes and lifted myself up. She ran a towel along my chest and arms, making sure she felt every fucking inch of my skin. My dick was jumping with anticipation. Bella moved back slightly as I stepped out of the tub. She moved her way down my body with the soft towel, running it along my stomach and legs. I had to close my eyes and will myself to calm down as I felt the towel travel along my legs and inside my thighs before I felt her hot mouth take me in.

My head lolled back and I whispered, "fuck." She swirled her tongue around the tip before taking me in fully, swallowing as I hit the back of her throat. "Fucking hell, Bella."

I picked her up wrapping her legs around me as I walked us into the bedroom. I sat on the bed and held Bella above me, angling myself so I could enter her. "Ah!" Bella called out. I held her against me for a moment, not moving so we could both adjust to our position.

Bella rolled her hips and pushed my shoulders. I laid back on the bed resting on my elbows so I could watch her move above me. I couldn't get enough of her. "Baby, you're so fucking sexy," I said as my eyes rolled back in my head at the angle she moved.

I felt her heat above my body and opened my eyes to see her hard nipples in my line of vision. I took one in my mouth quickly and sucked softly, my tongue moving slowly over the peak. Her hips were grinding along mine and I felt her fingers gliding along my stomach. I tightened my stomach muscles and anticipated where her fingers would travel next. Her hand rested on my stomach but her thumb rubbed circles just above where we were connected. The feeling was too much.

I lifted her off of me and flipped her over so I was now on top. I didn't waste any time pushing back inside of her, lifting one of her legs onto my shoulder. I moved quickly in and out, knowing I wouldn't be able to hold off much longer. My thumb rubbed her clit in tight circles, willing her to come quickly. It didn't take long before I felt her walls tighten around me and my name escape in a quiet cry. I pushed into her once more before the coil exploded and I came inside of her.

My head rested on her chest as my body recovered and we caught our breath. I placed a kiss on her collarbone before looking up at her. Her eyes were closed but there was a smile on her lips. She must have felt my eyes on her because she opened hers and looked at me. "I love how that feels, every time," she said quietly.

"I love you," I answered and kissed her. "Let's get something to eat, I'm starving."

We got up and got dressed just in time to see my parents walk in the door. Bella shook her head and walked into the kitchen.

"Edward, did Isa tell you about that idiot at the restaurant today?" My mother asked as she kissed my cheek. "I brought dinner. Isa can you grab some plates please?"

"Yeah, mom she told me."

"Esme, Edward and I will discuss this. Don't worry yourself over it, we'll handle it," my father told her before clasping my shoulder.

She nodded and kissed my father's cheek before walking into the kitchen with Bella.

"Sorry, Ed, she just doesn't understand personal boundaries. I mean if the lights are off and the door is locked..." he trailed off.

I laughed, "it's alright. So, Newton?"

"We are meeting with Seth in an hour. Go get ready. We'll eat before we go." I nodded and walked back into the bedroom to get dressed. My phone buzzed and there was a text from Jasper, _'I'm on my way up.'_

Seth is Jasper's contact on the police force. He is a really nice kid that felt like he got burned by the department when my brother stepped up to help him out. While my brother has never really told any of us what actually happened, we know it had to have been a pretty big fucking deal if Seth swore his loyalty to Jasper.

I walked toward the kitchen to find Bella tossing a salad to go with the pasta my mother brought for dinner. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. "I'm going to have to leave for awhile after dinner. I don't know what time I'll be home, but I'll have my phone okay?"

She nodded, "please be careful," she said looking into my eyes.

I nodded, "always."

"I love you," she said quietly.

I took her face in my hands, "forever," I answered before kissing her softly.

~~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~

a/n: Thanks to everyone reading! I appreciate your time and reviews. Enjoy!


	19. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_many thanks to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading and making sense of this  
><em>

~~Edward~~

I toss my cigarette in the alley, before slowly opening the door. I looked down the long corridor before stepping in, gun drawn. I took a quick look around and then nodded to my father and my brother, signaling that it's okay for them to enter.

Dim lighting allows us to make out the door at the end of the long hallway. I roll my neck and listen for anything out of the ordinary. Glancing up at the ceiling, I can see there are no suspicious wires hanging down or moving. No one has called or texted, so I have to hope that means its all clear.

Fucking Feds always sticking their noses where it doesn't belong. Fucking Mike Newton. I would have killed him already if I thought I could get away with it. If the asshole thinks that Bella is his 'in', that she can help him get the promotion he's looking for, then he's got another thing coming.

When we reach the door, I turn to my father. He nods and I knock on the door, two quick raps and then three slow. I look at the light under the door. It flickers, three slow and two fast. I step back and raise my gun. The door opens slowly to reveal a man with a gun pointed right back at me.

I let out the breath I was holding and lower my weapon as the man across from me does the same.

"Hey, Ed. Long time no see," he says with a smile.

I reach out to shake his hand, "Seth, nice to see you too, asshole. Where you been?"

He laughs and moves aside letting me in. As he greets my dad and brother, I step inside and take a quick inventory. A wooden chair sits in the corner facing the door and there's an ashtray full of cigarette butts and a newspaper sitting on the floor. I quickly notice there are no additional doors in the room, other than the one we entered from and only one small window.

I don't like that we are in such a confined space and I raise my eyebrows at my brother. _Are you fucking sure about this? _He gives me a quick nod and I tuck the gun into my waistband.

I stand next to the now closed door and listen for any noise or movement outside of the room. My father sits in the one of the two chairs and unbuttons his coat.

"So, Seth, what can you tell us about this Newton asshole that's been following my daughter?"

Seth chuckles and looks at my father. "Newton came to Chicago about four months ago from Washington. He was in the internal affairs division in Washington and apparently one of the cops he was investigating didn't take kindly to having his privacy violated. Turns out the guy flipped out and threatened Newton in the middle of the station and Newton asked for a transfer. He was sent here and immediately thrown into the organized crime unit. I am not really sure how he moved from IA to organized crime, but whatever.

He was snooping around and found surveillance photos of you guys and came across a photo of Ed and Bella at some restaurant. He went to the captain, told him he was friends with the girl in the photo, threw out some bullshit about Isabella being blackmailed into marriage, and got himself thrown on the case." My whole body was tense. That fucking asshole,

Seth rolled his neck and leaned forward on his knees. "So, what I'm guessing is he is using his so-called friendship with Isabella to try and get promoted or move on to the FBI, who the fuck knows. He is telling anyone who will listen that he and Isabella are tight, and he can get her to turn against you," he looked pointedly at me, "and the family. It's pretty obvious to me that he doesn't know shit about her. But he's been photographed talking to her quite a bit over the past few weeks." Seth shrugged, "I don't know, I mean from the photos it looks like they could be friends and everyone seems to be buying into it."

"When were the last photos taken? Do you know a location, time?" my father asked him.

Seth stood and walked over to a messenger bag that sat on the floor. He pulled out a manila envelope and handed it to my father, who in turn handed it to Jasper.

"So, who and how many are watching us?," Carlisle asked calmly.

Seth counted off on his fingers, "Chicago PD and FBI. They have some phone taps set up but that's been pretty useless. The only line they really have anything from is the gallery and the designer's office. Oh," Seth said quickly and sat up straighter, "Chicago PD picked up that little designer. Someone from the Aro family was going in and out of her place and they found some shady shit on her books and phone records. She said they were trying to blackmail her and when she wouldn't cooperate they started fucking with her. Newton," he chuckled and shook his head, "tried to interview her about Isabella and she told him to fuck off," Seth laughed. "Of course, he didn't like that so he had her arrested for shit charges in affiliation with the Aro family. She's in Atlanta, last I heard. The FBI took custody of her when they were told she had information about the Aros and the Cullens. From what I know, she hasn't given up any information."

My father stood up and started pacing the small room. "Okay, so Newton signed a death warrant on the designer."

I had to work really hard not to look over at my brother. My brother can be an asshole with women, but from what Bella told me, this girl was important to him. It couldn't have been easy for him to hear all of that. I know if it was Bella, I'd be a fucking mess.

My father continued, "and he's trying to use Bella to move himself up the ranks. But he didn't count on Bella not wanting to renew their friendship. So he is having photos taken to make it appear as if she's working with him. What kind of information is he throwing out there in his reports? What are we looking at here?"

Seth pulled another manila folder out of his bag and handed it to my father,"It all looks like bullshit to me and I've been questioning his activity on the floor, trying to cause doubt with the guys. It hasn't been too hard because everyone knows about what happened in Washington and no one trusts IA. There was a guy from my team at the hotel earlier today, off duty. Newton didn't see him, but he heard enough of the conversation to know that Isabella pretty much told him to fuck off. So that will help discredit him. I was able to delete some of the recordings they had from Isabella's office phone, but he records every call, so don't use it as a point of contact. I'll keep working on it and let you know if something comes up."

Carlisle nodded at Seth and shook his hand. He pulled Seth close and they had a whispered conversation before my father patted him on the back and gestured that we were leaving.

I opened the door slowly and looked out into the empty hallway. We made our way to the door and walked out into the cold night air. We were quiet as we made our way to the street. I pulled on my baseball cap and adjusted it low on my face in case someone was watching. Just before we hit the sidewalk, I opened an aluminum door and made my way through the corner market nodding at the guy behind the counter. Jasper and my father took off in opposite directions after we agreed to meet up at the car.

Newton was working for someone. Why else would a guy focus all of his attention on a woman who had no real knowledge of our world? She knows it exists, nothing more. Even I can see that she was an unwilling source. There are no calls going in and out of her business, our cells phones have chips to scramble the lines. And contact with our 'business associates' is layered so fucking deep that anyone outside of the game would get lost before they made it halfway through.

Does he really think Bella will turn on me, on the family, to help him move up within the department?

Or maybe Felix is using Newton as a distraction. He can keep tabs on Bella while he plans whatever the fuck he's planning. Shit. I look around and run across the street before ducking into a restaurant. I wait in line and place an order and then ask for the bathroom. I walk through the hallway and open a door marked Employee's Only. I walk in and close the door and walk through the kitchen. The cook looks up in surprise but I tuck a $50 in his shirt pocket and he nods toward the door. I flip my hat so it sits backward on my head and sprint down the alley toward Morgan Street. Once I hit the sidewalk, I slow down and pull out a cigarette.

My mind immediately goes back to Newton and Felix. Newton has approached Bella a few times and he hasn't had any trouble getting close to her. What does that say about us? I need to make sure Paul stays closer to her.

I turn the corner and see Jasper's car sitting in the parking lot. I take a drag on my cigarette and throw it in the street, quickly jumping into the back seat.

Jasper is weaving in and out of traffic and making quick turns when I notice a familiar face. Felix Aro is walking out of an office building. He's focused on the phone in front of him. I pat my dad's shoulder and point at the man getting into what looks like a government issued black sedan.

My dad is on his phone reading off the address and license plate to whomever is on the other line. He hangs up as we pass the parked car. I'm quiet in the backseat not knowing what to make of this. And I have to wonder, does any of this really have to do with Bella or are they guiding our focus away from what they really have planned?

Two Aro family members have been in our house, and Marcus Buccieri has also been in our house and my apartment...shit. We've been playing right into their fucking hands.

We are all quiet as we make our way back to the apartments. Once we are in the elevator my dad speaks up. "Go get Isabella. We are meeting in fifteen minutes."

He and Jasper get off of the elevator. Right before the doors close, Jasper looks at me and I can see he is shaking. He is barely controlling his rage and I can only assume he's reached the same conclusion as me.

The elevator doors close and I lean my head against the mirrored wall and stare at the ceiling. I can feel myself shifting into work mode. My emotions are shutting down, cutting everything out except my family and what needs to be done to protect us. I move swiftly toward my apartment and open the door.

Bella is lying on the sofa with a book in her hand. She's asleep and my God she looks beautiful. My resolve tightens as I walk over to her. I lean down and brush the hair from her face. She smiles and murmurs, "Edward."

I smile, "Baby, we need to go downstairs. Family meeting."

Her eyes open and her smile is gone. "Family meeting?"

I nod and notice her night clothes. A short blue satin gown that reveals too much of her creamy skin. I reach out and rest a hand on her stomach before slowly trailing lower. My fingers just barely grazing her inner thigh as I quickly move my hand upward. I want to touch her and bury myself inside her, but there's no time. I squeeze her leg before standing and reaching out to help her up. "Come on, baby. Get changed so we can go."

"Edward, is everything okay?" she asks as she stands.

I pull her into my arms and say, "it will be."

She squeezes my hand and nods, "okay."

~~u~~

When we walked into my parent's apartment, Bella squeezed my hand and headed toward the kitchen. My father and grandfather were in the study standing by the fireplace and Jasper was sitting on a large sofa facing them. I walked over and took a seat next to my brother. I could feel anger rolling off of him in waves.

Jasper's emotions always seem to dictate the climate of a room. It has always been that way and I've never really understood it. But I'm not sure his anger is what we need right now, it will cloud our judgement and could cause everyone to make rash decisions.

We hear voices enter the apartment and turn to find Paul, Emmett and Demetri walking in. Paul's girlfriend walked past the room toward the kitchen and he shrugged before closing the double doors leading into the study.

"We were out when you called so we came straight here." I nodded and turned back to my father.

"Alright, lets lay it all out. The seven of us are the only people who will be a part of this, understood?" Carlisle looked each of us in the eye waiting for our acknowledgement before continuing. My grandfather was standing back to the side but his eyes were taking everything in. His knowledge and experience will be a huge advantage to us right now.

"We have underestimated the Aros. Felix has been playing on our attachment to Isabella to get inside of our organization. Edward, there are several guys that are unaccounted for. Find them." I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Luckily, we have not been at the family home or Edward's apartment for the past few weeks, so any phone taps or cameras that might have been placed there have been useless to them. Information on the family is kept in another location that only I know about, and no one has access to this building except us, so if something should happen here," he paused, "I will turn to one of you." Carlisle's face was fierce as he once again looked around the room. He loosened his tie and grabbed a chair from the chess table in the corner.

"So what do we have? An ambitious cop, the feds, the designer, as well as the Aros and the Buccieris." His head rolled back a little, his eyes unfocused as he ran through his thoughts. He finally looked over at me, "Edward, I know that Peter and Charlotte are important to Isabella, but we cannot take any chances right now. Do what you need to do to find out if they are a part of this." I nod again in agreement.

"Jasper, can you find out about the designer's place? Her home and office. Find out what she's been talking about with the Aros. Also, find out who her family is and if they might tie in somehow. We need to know what information she can give the Feds to help her case."

My father stood up and started pacing, "She is a designer, so I am going to guess that she spent a lot of time in New York. That might be where her tie to the Aros started. Isabella also did some of the photography for her clothes, yes?" He asked, looking between Jasper and me.

I nodded, "Yes, Isabella was shooting her catalogue when Jasper met her in the warehouse that day."

My father's eyes narrowed. "Find out what else Isabella knows about her. Demetri." He turned quickly, "you said she's in a safe house in Georgia?"

"Yes, sir. She was still there as of yesterday."

"Get her out of there, take her to the house in Belleville," Demetri nodded and pulled out his phone.

"Paul, assign men to watch the family. My mother, Esme, Isabella, Rosalie, Gianna and your girl should have someone with them at all times. The people in this room are the main focus right now." Paul nodded that he understood.

"Edward and Jasper, we need to make sure things are running smoothly in all of our side businesses. Verify that money is moving correctly and find out who is talking to who. People need to see you and know that you are checking up on things. I want word to spread that we are cracking down. If you suspect someone, or find someone who is fucking up, take them out.

"Everything Aro related ends now. We don't care about that girl that Felix supposedly kidnapped. I know she is related to Isabella, but she isn't family. If any of you see Felix, end him. We've already gotten the okay from Alec on this, regardless of his motive for saying it. That will cover us if it gets out.

Demetri, once you are in Belleville, get what you can out of the girl. Jasper," he looked at my brother, his eyes softening slightly, "I might need you to talk to her."

Jasper face tightened slightly but he nodded.

"Okay, that's it. No one goes anywhere without notifying me. Give me your cell phones."

We all removed our phones and placed them on the coffee table in front of my father. "Demetri?"

Demetri removed all of the backings and was taking things apart and replacing them. His hands were too big for me to see exactly what he was doing. Once he was finished with his work, my father dismissed everyone except Jasper and myself.

"Demetri put a device in everyone's phone that will scramble out locations and re-route calls to another cell phone user. It also has a tracking device, so if anyone goes somewhere they shouldn't be, I will know about it. Show Isabella how to disable her phone. While I think the Aros were using her as a distraction, it is still a possibility that she will be used to bargain if the opportunity arises."

He handed me a small baggie with a chip inside of it, "put this on something she wears everyday."

I stared at the small baggie with hatred and fear. Fear that my wife might actually need to rely on this tiny item to stay alive. I swallowed back the bile that rose in my throat. Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder, "we will take care of her, Ed."

I took a deep breath and nodded. My father stared at me, "I know you are crawling out of your skin right now, but you need to keep your shit together so we can handle this smartly. We can't afford any fuck ups. The Aros need to stay in the dark until we know what they are doing. My guess, they want to take over Chicago. But they are going to have to get around the four of us to do it."

~~Bella~~

The kitchen was quiet when I walked in. It was like we all knew that our lives were about to change. We prepared dinner, well, not really dinner since it was almost midnight. But the men always seemed to be starving after a family meeting. Gianna was sitting at the table quietly, with a hand on her pregnant belly.

"Gianna, I don't know if Demetri mentioned it to you, but I would love to take pictures of your family."

She smiled at me, "Davvero Isabella?" She answered in Italian. Sometimes I got the feeling she felt out of place with all of us. She is such a beautiful person and I hoped this gesture would help her feel more comfortable.

I smiled, "Of course, it will be my gift to you."

A small, soft smile lit her face, "Demetri hates pictures but I think he will say yes, for me. I can't wait for the baby to come."

This conversation helped lighten up the atmosphere in the kitchen. We all started discussing the baby and what Gianna will need and when we can help decorate. I think Esme is already planning a baby shower.

I picked up a bowl to take out to the dining room. As I walked out of the kitchen, I found Edward standing in the hallway. There was a crease between his brow and his lips were in a hard line. My heart sank, I knew something bad was happening but I naively thought the family meeting would find a solution.

I walked to him and placed my hands on his chest. His hands automatically wrapped around me.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"Are you done in there? Is it okay if we go?" he asked quietly. I could feel the tension rolling off of him.

"Of course, let me tell everyone we're leaving."

He nodded and let me go.

~~u~~

Once we were back in our apartment, Edward made sure the door was locked and bolted and led me toward our bedroom. He didn't speak as he undressed and then he walked into the bathroom and closed the door. I'd never seen him this upset before and I wasn't sure what I could do to help him.

I rose from the bed and walked into the closet putting on the nightgown I had been wearing earlier. I heard the bathroom door open so I walked out and watched Edward move around the room. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to his actions, I think it was just nervous energy.

I walked into the bathroom and ran through my nightly routine. I looked around the room wondering if there was anything here I could use to help my husband relax. The vanilla scented candle in the corner caught my attention and I opened up the cabinet along the wall and pulled out a few bath towels and massage oil. I grabbed the candle and walked into the bedroom. Edward was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.

I set the towels down on the bed and placed the vanilla candle on the bedside table before lighting it. I walked over and flipped off the light switch bathing the room in the soft flickering glow of the candle.

"Baby," I called out to Edward. He didn't move so I walked around the bed and moved in between his legs. I began rubbing his scalp and placed a kiss on the back of his head. "Baby, come with me. Let me take care of you."

He looked up at me before standing and taking me in his arms. I pulled away gently and led him to the other side of the bed before stripping him of his pajama pants. I turned down the bed and laid one of the towels over the sheet. "Lie on your stomach," I said quietly.

I opened the massage oil and placed a bit in my hand warming it a little bit before I rubbed the oil onto his skin. I placed my hand near his face, "is this okay?"

He nodded and rolled his shoulders. I added a little more oil to my hand before climbing onto the bed. I placed my knees on either side of his hips and slowly ran my hands along his back. His upper back was full of knots so I slowly worked my hands in circles to try to loosen them up. My hands kneaded his skin methodically, along his shoulders and neck. My thoughts were consumed with my husband and helping him relax enough to sleep tonight. I shifted my body slightly as I moved my hands lower.

His hand moved along my leg, and tapped my thigh lightly. I sat up on my knees as he turned over. He moved his hands along my body, lifting my nightgown. I grabbed the edge of the silky material and pulled it over my head. His eyes took in every part of me, making me feel completely exposed. I leaned into him and placed a kiss on his chest. He ran his fingers lightly along my back before tangling them in my hair. Pulling my face to his he kissed me softly, thanking me, loving me.

Edward shifted us so that we were both on our sides. He removed the towel that was beneath him and pulled up the blankets from the end of the bed. He covered us and pulled me tightly against him. His fingers ran through my hair relaxing me. I tightened my grip on him and placed a kiss over his heart. "I love you," I whispered against his skin.

He tightened his hold on me and kissed the top of my head before saying, "Tu sei la mia vita, Isabella."

I smiled against his skin and closed my eyes. I drifted off, feeling his warmth and love surrounding me.

~~u~~

"Edward, you are being ridiculous!" I yelled at him.

"No, I'm not. You're just not listening to me."

I let out a bitter laugh, "I'm not listening? I heard you tell me, not ask, to fire my best friend because she could be a traitor. Is that right?" I asked, "What proof do you have that she is doing something wrong? Or that Peter is doing something wrong? I haven't seen him in months!" The thought made me sad. Peter and I hadn't spoken to each other in so long. I'd sent him a couple of texts but he never responded. I figured he was angry with me, that he felt betrayed by me. But he betrayed me too. So I left it alone, thinking that he would come to me when he was ready. But what if Edward is right?

"Babe, you need to let her go."

"I'm not going to fire my best friend!" I screamed.

"If you don't tell her to take time off, I will," he said calmly.

I took a deep breath and sat on the couch, cradling my head in my hands. "Look, I understand that you don't trust Peter or Marcus but Charlotte is not a part of this."

I looked up at him and was surprised at the sadness on his face. He walked over and sat next to me.

"Bella, she is too much of a risk." I opened my mouth to argue but he raised a hand to stop me. "Just listen to me for a minute. You are so worked up about firing her that you aren't listening to anything else."

He stared into my eyes and I searched his, for honesty. I nodded at him to continue but my body was tight with tension.

"What do you think she does when she goes home at night, Bella? What do we do?" he stood up and started pacing. "She probably goes home and talks to Peter about her day, unknowingly giving him information about you, about us. Peter has open access to your gallery. He can see who is there, what is going on, look at your schedule, your computer. That is very convenient for someone that might be working against us, no?"

I didn't answer. My mind was now racing with the scenarios that idea had created.

"We haven't seen Peter in months, he was in Italy at the same time we were but he was spending his time with the Aros. My father saw Marcus in the Aro home. That tells me that their relationship is a lot closer than any of us imagined. Daniel Aro was in our home, in our bedroom. How would he have known how to gain access? No one else has ever known where our house is, much less get inside uninvited. Peter and Marcus are a little too comfortable with that family for this to be just a coincidence."

I could feel the tears on my cheeks. I didn't want to believe what Edward was saying, could they be betraying us?

Edward knelt in front of me and pulled my face into his hands, "I know this is a lot to take in right now but please know that your safety is all that matters to me." He sighed and shook his head a little. "And think of Charlotte's baby, his or her safety is in jeopardy too." That was the line that pulled me over the edge. I wasn't worried so much about my safety, but the baby was innocent in all of this.

So the next day, I pulled Charlotte aside and explained to her that there were some things going on that I didn't want her involved in. I gave her an itinerary for a two week paid vacation to Kauai. I didn't actually fire her, but I figured that it would be out of my hands by the time she and Peter got back. The heaviness of that realization reminded me of the world I now lived in.

Things seemed to calm down a little after that. Edward began working a lot more hours and I didn't see him very often. But he always made sure he was in bed with me before morning arrived. We had settled into somewhat of a routine, but there was a tension that hovered around us.

We were hardly ever alone. There was always someone around us, shadowing us. Even if I couldn't see them, I knew they were there. It was annoying and frustrating, but I knew it was necessary to the family that we all were protected.

Paul ended up taking me to the boutique for my fitting. I held his arm as we walked and chatted about random subjects. I enjoyed the sun on my face and the fresh air. The fitting was quick and we went to lunch afterward.

We were enjoying our Chinese food until I noticed a familiar tall, blond man heading toward us. What in the hell is this guys problem? I tapped Paul's foot with mine and when he looked up at me, I shifted my eyes in Mike's direction. Paul immediately sat up straighter as I quickly typed a message on my phone to Edward, _m blu in china_. I doubt I got his coding exactly right but I knew he would figure it out. I slipped my phone in my pocket just as they reached our table.

"Bella, how are you?" Mike said as he and his 'shadow' pulled a chair from another table and sat down. "This is my partner, Sam. Sam this is Bella and I'm sorry I don't think I know your name," he raised an eyebrow at Paul.

Paul raised an eyebrow back and continued eating his food. Mike laughed and shook his head, "Okay. So, Bella, I was wondering if you'd be willing to talk to me for a few minutes."

I looked at him in surprise, "about?"

"Aw, come on Bella, don't be like that. We're old friends, from the same neighborhood. Surely you can spare some time for me."

"Michael, you and I are not friends. You worked with my father. I have nothing to talk to you about."

Mike's face flushed red and he was about to speak again but his partner cut him off.

"Ms. Swan, we just have a few questions we'd like to ask you involving an ongoing investigation. It's come to our attention that you may be friends with one of the parties involved. We were hoping we could talk casually but if you refuse, we'll have to ask you to come with us."

My heart was beating in my chest and I felt lightheaded but I held tight to my composure. "Am I under arrest?" I asked.

"No, of course not."

"Do you have a warrant of some kind?"

Sam shook his head, "No, ma'am. No warrant." He looked over at Paul who appeared to be ignoring the conversation all together.

"I see," I said quietly. "Well, since I don't know what this _case_ is, I will just contact my lawyer to meet me at the station. I'm sure this is alright considering that I'm not under arrest and you don't have any type of warrant." I looked between the two men. Both of their shoulder's sagged and Sam nodded.

"Of course, Ms. Swan. Would you like to ride with us?"

"No thank you, my friend will take me."

They stood and walked toward the entrance of the restaurant. I could see them talking in low whispers and Mike looked like he was fuming. Paul stood and held his hand out to me.

He leaned into me and wrapped an arm around my waist. He was in protector mode and I could feel my hands shaking. Paul held onto me as we walked toward the car. Mike was behind us and I assume Sam went to get their car.

"Isabella, I thought you were engaged. I'm sure your fiance wouldn't be happy with how cozy the two of you are together," Mike said. I felt chills run up my spine and I stiffened. Paul noticed and looked down at me before turning to look at Mike.

My face flushed with anger but I didn't answer him. He was trying to get a rise out of me. We were probably being watched or photographed. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of putting on a show.

He laughed, "no response, Isabella? I've never known you to keep quiet. You were a hellcat back in Forks. You and your group of friends. How are they, by the way? Ben and Angie? Peter and Charlotte? You guys were like the five musketeers in high school."

What the hell? How did he know that? He and I never went to high school together. Paul's fingers were digging into my waist but we didn't say anything or even look at each other. When we reached the car, Paul used the key fob to unlock the doors. He opened my door and helped me inside. Mike walked forward leaning as if to say something to me but Paul slammed the door causing Mike to jump back. When Paul opened the door he had a cigarette in his mouth. He casually started the car and backed out of the space and made his way toward the exit. Mike climbed in a black sedan and a police light lit up in the window.

Paul pulled his phone out of his pocket and a pair of headphones followed. They had been tucked into his shirt and invisible. He set his phone on the console and then pulled the headphones out of it, "were you able to hear any of that, Ed?"

My eyes shot up in surprise and I looked at the headphones again to see a small microphone. "Ya, we heard everything that mother fucker said. Bella, baby are you okay?"

"Edward?" I answered, "yes, I'm fine. How does he know about me and my friends? We were never in the same school together. He's five years older than me."

"Baby, Kate is going to meet you at the station. Don't say anything, let Kate handle it okay? They have no reason to question you for anything. I can't meet you there," he said quickly.

"I know," I answered quietly.

"Everything is going to be okay, Bella. Just listen to Kate okay. Paulie, don't go inside. Kate is going to meet Bella in front of the station. Once they're together, and safely inside, leave there and call me for directions."

"Bella?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"Kate is going to take you to the gallery afterward. Demitri will meet you there, okay?"

"Okay," I answered.

"Alright, take me off speaker," Paul pushed a button on the phone and handed to me.

"Edward?"

"Baby, I have to go. I'll talk to you later, and remember, I love you and it is all going to be okay," and he disconnected.

Holy shit. What is going on? I swallowed thickly and closed my eyes. We were almost at the station and my nerves were going haywire. I felt a hand on my arm and I jumped.

Paul laughed, "B, I have seen you handle tougher situations with a kick-ass attitude. Don't let this ballbuster get to you. Use that bitch brow of yours and throw it back in his face, alright?"

I took a deep breath, "you're right."

"Hell, yes I'm right," he laughed, as he pulled up to the curb. A tall blond woman walked toward the car. "That's Kate. It'll be fine Bella, Kate kicks ass."

I laughed and kissed his cheek, "Thanks, Paulie. See ya later."

"Bye, baby B."

Well, here goes nothing.

"Bella, don't speak and don't make any facial expressions," she said quickly and opened the door. Mike and Sam were waiting at the desk with smirks on their faces. Those looks pissed me off and I shrugged off my nerves right then and there. Take Charge Bella was making her presence known and these assholes wouldn't break her...no, they were going down!

~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~

a/n: thanks so much to all of you for reading and taking time to review. I appreciate it more than you know.

If you are looking for something fantastic to read, try Blind for All to See by BixieR. It sucked me in from the first chapter. It is a dark and creepy tale,

7037937/1/Blind_for_All_to_See

Also, if you are into Jasper/Bella fics, try Long Awaited Answer by Loveofwrittenword. It is at Chapter 9 now, but it is intriguing. Her other stories are amazing also.

6992315/1/Long_Awaited_Answer


	20. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_As always, thanks to SUNFLOWER3759 for pre-reading and editing this for me._

~~Edward~~

Jasper and I sat at his desk and watched the video play out on the computer screen. Bella looked beautiful as she sat in the interrogation room. Her legs were crossed, allowing me to see the smooth line of her leg and her sexy fucking shoes. Her face showed a raised eyebrow and a smile, and she looked sexy as hell.

Newton and his partner tried everything they could to get a rise out of her. She was beyond amazing, and it obvious, to everyone watching, where her loyalties lie.

"Isabella, has Edward Cullen threatened you? Are you being forced to marry him? Is he blackmailing you?" He continued on and on and I could hear the desperation in his voice grow with each unanswered question. I watched Bella as his questions rang out through the speakers. For the most part, she looked amused but when something bothered her, her eyes would narrow slightly but not enough for Newton to notice, or act on it.

At one point, Kate accused the department of harassment and threatened to request a restraining order for Isabella's distress at being photographed and questioned by the Chicago PD without cause.

Newton tried to change his direction and made the mistake of asking Bella if she knew where Alice Whitlock was. Bella chuckled and leaned into Kate whispering something in her ear. Kate nodded and looked at the detectives, "Mr. Newton," she started but he cut her off.

"It's Detective," he said roughly.

"Mr. Newton," Kate continued, unfazed. "It has come to my attention that Ms. Whitlock is being held in protective custody by the FBI. You were overheard talking to a large group of people about how 'cooperative' she was being." Newton's eyes went wide and his partner looked like he was going to kill him.

The interview wrapped up pretty quickly after that. Seth called Jasper a few minutes later to let him know that Bella and Kate left the station and Newton was in the Captain's office getting reprimanded for opening his mouth.

My phone rang and my wife's face popped up on my screen, "Bella."

"Hi baby, I'm in the car with Demitri. We'll be at the club soon."

"Okay, see you in a few."

When Bella and Demitri walked through the door, relief coursed through me. Logically, I knew that Newton couldn't do anything to her, but it didn't mean I wasn't going out of my mind the entire time she was with that fucking bastard

I stood when I saw her and pulled her into my arms. She wrapped her arms around my waist and looked up at me with a small smile, "hi," she said shyly.

"Are you okay?" I said as I leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips.

"Mmmhmmm," she moaned quietly. Fuck.

"Hey," I turned and yelled out, "we're leaving."

Once we were out the door, I ran a finger from her cheek to her neck and then pushed her against the wall. Her fingers tangled in my hair and she pulled my face to hers for another kiss. I hummed into her mouth and pulled her body tighter against my own. Our bodies and our tongues moved along with the music playing from the club. I trailed kisses down her throat and whispered, "Let's get out of here."

I lead Bella toward the front of the club. I wanted people to see that she was with me, that she was mine. I held her hand held tightly in mine and looked over at her. Her expression hadn't changed but I could see her eyes taking everything in. I wondered what she was thinking, what she thought of the girls, the music. Her eyes held excitement and that gave me ideas. I leaned in and whispered against her mouth, "I want you to dance for me."

Her eyes went wide and then a small smile graced her swollen, pink lips. "We'll see Mr. Cullen."

I smiled and wiggled my eyebrows making her laugh.

~~U~~

This whole night has felt off and I couldn't put my finger on it. Bella was home, so I knew she was safe. But there was something missing, like something is right in front of my face but I can't see it.

I have been working every night since the family meeting and Bella and I haven't spent any real time together in weeks. She hasn't been happy with me, I see it on her face, in her eyes, when she says goodbye to me in the morning... I am hoping that things will ease off a little bit after tonight.

I threw a twenty on the table and stood to put my coat on. Paul was with me tonight and we were supposed to be meeting with one of the guys, Nate, but he wasn't here yet and he wasn't answering his phone. He was fifteen minutes late and I had reached my limit. My mind was already running with thoughts on who would replace him. Paul would need to handle it for now and maybe Angelo was ready to step up.

All of the other guys had checked out so far, apparently there is only one asshole in our group. But he's just a means to an end, so fuck him. He doesn't know anything, and he'll get his. We walked out of the diner and got into the car.

Paul started it up and I looked around. It felt like someone was watching us. I didn't see anyone but that didn't mean shit, there were lots of places to hide around here. I dialed Jasper's cell as we pulled out of the parking lot.

"Yeah?" he answered

"Nate's out."

"Alright, you on your way?"

"Yeah," I answered as I watched a guy duck into the alley. I tapped Paul and pointed toward the alley.

"Alright, later," Jasper said.

"Did you see that? Who the fuck was that?"

"You want me to pull in?" Paul asked, slowing down.

"Nah, let's go," I said. Was that Nate? Why the fuck would he go into an alley? What the hell did he do that would put him into hiding? "We'll let Angelo handle this one."

Paul nodded and we headed downtown. I pulled out my phone to call Bella.

The call went to voicemail. I hung up and called Angelo's number.

"Hey, Ed."

"Is Bella with you?"

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, uh...all of the women are inside Emmett's apartment and I'm out in the hall."

I blew out a breath, why the fuck am I bugging out tonight. "Get with Paul later, I got some shit for you to do."

"Cool."

I held my phone in my hand, my fingers tapping against the back of it. We haven't heard from Demitri in a couple of days and it's making everyone nervous. Maybe that's what this lingering feeling is. Not knowing what the hell is going on with him. But I would think if someone got to him, we'd have heard about it by now. He could just be laying low, waiting.

We jumped onto the highway to head back to the club. Traffic was moving pretty smoothly and Paul weaved his way through the cars.

"Yo," I looked over at Paul who nodded toward the rearview mirror. There were three SUV's behind us.

"How long they been there?"

"A few minutes, there was one behind us as we got onto the highway but the other two just joined."

"Fuck, see if you can get around these cars." I checked my gun and watched the cars in my side mirror. Paul sped up and weaved through traffic. He was crossing two and three lanes at a time putting distance between us and the SUV's. I didn't know if they were Feds or Felix's guys but we weren't taking chances. We were coming up on an exit and I looked behind us to see the cars in the left lane trying to get around people. "Get off here."

Paul crossed two lanes causing cars to break and honk at us and got off of the highway. When we got off of the highway, I noticed where we were and smiled. We were headed into friendly territory. I dialed the number and he answered after the first ring.

"S'up?"

"Hey Ty, it's E. Is it cool if we come hit you up for minute?"

"Yeah, man. Who's coming through?"

"Me and Paulie."

"Cool."

I hung up, "head to Ty's."

Paul made his way through the streets but I noticed one of the SUV's had caught up with us. They were driving slow, no doubt wondering where we were going. When we got to the neighborhood, there were guys hanging out on the corner. We slowed down knowing that we wouldn't make it up the street until someone checked us out. A huge guy ran over to us with a gun at his side.

When Paul rolled the window down, big guy's whole demeanor changed and he smiled, "W'as up man? What the fuck you doing here?"

"Yo Sammy," Paul drew out his name while they did their thing, shaking hands, bumping fists.

I laughed, "Hey, man, long time no see."

"Yeah, you too good for us now, huh?" he said as he leaned into the window to shake my hand.

I glanced out the back window and said,"We just noticed we had some company behind us."

"A'ight," he said turning to look at the SUV. He nodded to some guys across the street and said, "we got this. Go on over to Ty's." He stood up and turned to follow his guys down the street.

Paul rolled up the window and drove slowly toward Ty's. I watched out the back window to see what would happen to our friends in the SUV. Dumb asses, if they were Feds, they would have taken off as soon as they realized where we were. There's no way those fuckers would be stupid enough to come into this neighborhood.

I saw guys running out of their yards toward the car. Someone with a bat smashed the driver window and pulled the driver out of the car. I smiled as I recognized the man as one of Felix's guys.

Paul looked in the rear view mirror and shook his head, "ruthless."

I laughed, "Felix should train his people better."

We pulled up to the house and Ty was waiting on the porch with a forty and a joint. Hell yeah, this is just what I needed right now, to loosen up and find out what's been going on out here.

"Hey, baby. Finally found your way back, huh?" Ty called out to me, confirming that I had been letting shit slide.

"Man," I drew out the word reaching out to shake his hand, "you just don't know. Things are all kinds of fucked up right now."

Ty smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Well, let's get fucked up then."

~~Bella~~

My eyes popped open, what the hell was that? I lay still listening, nothing. My imagination is getting the best of me. I closed my eyes only to hear someone grunt. My eyes started to water, shit shit shit. I climbed out of bed and made my way to the closet shutting the door just enough to see into the bedroom. The apartment was completely dark but I could see the shadow standing in the doorway.

It stumbled toward the bed and I could see that there was something in his hand. No, no, no! How the hell did someone get in here? I looked around my closet. There wasn't anything in here I could use. Shit! I picked up one of my shoes and made sure the heel was thin enough that it would cause some damage when I hit him.

I pushed the door open a little to find him just standing there, at the edge of my bed. I swallowed thickly and felt the adrenaline rush through my body. I quickly moved out of the closet and jumped on his back, hitting him several times with my shoe.

"What the fuck!" he yelled out and I paused...that voice sounds familiar. He started moving and I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

Somehow, he reached the light switch and spun me so that I was in front of him, "Bella? What the hell?"

"Edward?" I asked and then I started hitting his ass again with my shoe. "What the hell are you doing? You scared the shit out of me!"

He placed me on the floor and started laughing. He's fucking laughing and my heart feels like it coming out of my chest.

I pushed him and he fell to the floor with a, "hmph". My nose scrunched up as I noticed a smell. "What the hell have you been doing? What is that smell? Are you high?"

He's holding his stomach, apparently laughing so hard it hurts. Asshole.

I walked into the bathroom and started the shower making sure it was extra hot for him and then I walked back into the bedroom.

"Come on, Edward. Let's get you in the shower. You stink."

He's still laughing as I helped him up from the floor. Jesus, he weighs a ton. "Why are you so fucking heavy? Help me out here," I couldn't keep the agitation out of my voice.

I finally got him into an upright position and we made our way to the bathroom. I started undressing him and he tried to kiss me. I pulled back and wrinkled my nose, "shower first."

"Baby, please. I need you," he slurred slightly.

He stood completely naked in front of me, and I could see that he did not need me. I raised an eyebrow, "baby, get in the shower."

He climbed in and moved under the water only to scream and jump back. I laughed, "Is it too hot, sweetheart?"

"Fuck yes," he groaned. I grabbed some towels and lay them on the counter and turned back toward the shower. Edward stood there with his head against the wall. Great, he probably fell asleep. I stripped out of my pajamas and climbed into the shower.

"Turn around, so I can clean you up," he turned and gave me a sleepy smile.

I washed him quickly and then helped him out of the shower. As we walked back into the room, I noticed the clock read 4:30 am. I groaned knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

Edward fell onto the bed taking up all available space. I just stared at him and shook my head. I pulled the sheets from underneath him and covered him before walking out of the room.

Anger coursed through my body. I haven't seen him properly in weeks and he comes home completely wasted. Tears blurred my vision but I blinked them away.

I started the coffee and then opened up the pantry, hoping to find something to make for breakfast. I found a mix for blueberry muffins and headed back into the kitchen.

As the coffee brewed, I lost myself in the act of mixing and pouring. I had a slight headache from drinking with the girls last night and from Edward's abrupt wake up call this morning.

I shook my head, annoyed that he had woken me like that.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and walked into the living room. I opened up the blinds and stared out at the city. It was still asleep, dark with the lingering night.

My mind was running on overdrive, trying to process all of the events that have occurred this week. The police station interrogation, Demetri's disappearance, learning that Alice is missing and having no word from Peter and Charlotte.

My heart breaks as I thinkg of Peter and Charlotte, my best friends. Peter was always there for me, looked out for me and now, he's what? My enemy? I don't know if I can call him my enemy but he is certainly not a friend of my family, of my husband.

I called the hotel in Maui on the day they were supposed to arrive. I wanted to prove Edward wrong and make him see that they were not the bad guys. But of course, it was me who got the surprise. Am I so naïve that I don't even know my friends? Am I so trusting to put my life, as well as my husband's life, in their hands?

I wiped my face of the stray tears and took a drink of my coffee, willing myself to calm down.

And I can only guess where Alice is. If I am on the right track, her disappearance has to do with Demetri. It's too coincidental that he is conveniently away and Alice is no longer in protective custody. I thought back to the visit from Special Agent Dwyer.

"_Ms. Swan? My name is Special Agent Dwyer and this is Special Agent Molina. May we speak with you for a moment?"_

_I nodded and led them to my office, "how can I help you?"_

"_Ms. Swan, what do you know about Alice Whitlock?"_

_I shook my head and sighed, "Not much. She is a designer. I have done photo shoots for her clothing line in the past and she was making my wedding dress. That's all."_

"_Is there anything you can think of that could help us with our investigation?"_

"_Honestly, we didn't speak about anything personal. We were cordial with one another, but not friendly." I frowned and looked from one man to the other. "I'm confused. Detective Newton said Alice was in protective custody."_

_The men looked at each other and then turned back to Bella, "Thank you, ma'am. Here is my card, in case you think of anything." _

I rolled my neck, my shoulders and neck were tight with worry. The oven timer went off and I walked into the kitchen.

I set the muffins on the cooling rack and refreshed my coffee. I could hear Edward walking around and my anger flared again for a moment.

"Bella," he called out his voice was gruff and heavy with sleep.

He walked into the kitchen and looked at me. "Baby, why are you awake?"

I made an annoying snort sound and shook my head. "Well, about an hour ago, my husband stumbled home and woke me up."

His eyes widened, "Bella, I'm...fuck, I'm sorry." He frowned, "why was I naked?"

"I gave you a shower because you smelled like shit," I grumbled and tried to walk past him. I realized I was being a bitch but I was tired and overwhelmed. I could feel my eyes tearing up, damn it.

His hand reached out and he wrapped it around my waist, pulling me in front of him. "Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong? I'm sorry that I woke you."

I shook my head and rested it on his chest. Tears ran silently down my face but if I tried to speak, I knew I would start sobbing.

Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulders and dipped, picking me up bridal style. He carried me into the living room and sat me on the sofa. He squinted his eyes as he closed the blinds and then walked over to turn on the electric fireplace. I didn't move as I watched him pull a blanket out of the hall closet and walk back over to me.

The room was dark, except for the light from the fireplace. He rested against the arm of the sofa and pulled me to lie against him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my cheek against his beating heart and I felt his hands running through my hair.

"What's going on, baby? Are you upset with me? I was just hanging out with the guys."

I could feel the tension in my neck and shoulders building. Edward must have noticed because his fingers were suddenly moving in circles along my neck and shoulders.

"Talk to me, Bella."

I sighed, "I'm just tired. And everything that is going on is so overwhelming." I took in a breath, "And I'm sad about Peter and Charlotte, and you're never here," I sobbed as the last part came out in a whisper.

He wrapped his arms around me, "Oh, Bella," he squeezed me tighter. "I'm sorry that I haven't been here for you."

I burrowed into his chest, "I'm being a baby."

"No," he lifted my chin up, "you're not. This life," he looked into my eyes, "this life isn't easy. And there is a lot of shit going on right now, but you are my number one priority and I haven't been taking care of you the way I should."

He let go of my chin but I kept my eyes on his, "there's just been so much shit going on and I was so focused on that asshole Felix that I was neglecting other responsibilities." He frowned and was quiet for a minute. I could see that his mind was working overtime, no wonder he went a little crazy last night. "I have been trying to clean shit up, get things moving the right way again. And having the fucking Feds on our ass all of the time isn't helping."

I rested my cheek against his chest again and we were quiet for awhile. His breathing was steady and his hand ran softly along my back. Things have been such a mess lately and I have really been trying not to interfere and give Edward the space he needs to work, but I miss him.

I placed a kiss on his chest, "I miss you," I said quietly.

One of his hands moved to my ass and he pulled me up his body until my face was in front of his. "I miss you, too. I'll be here more, okay? I think things are better right now so I don't have to be out there so much."

I leaned in and kissed his lips softly, "I love you, Edward."

He hummed and sucked on my bottom lip. "Come on, let's go back to bed."

I laid on top of my husband and he wrapped our blankets around us. It felt so nice to be near him, to touch him, to have his bare skin against mine. I placed a kiss in the middle of his chest and fell asleep before my mind had a chance to start ticking again.

``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u````u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``u``

a/n: So sorry for the delay! This is a little bit of a filler chapter and I'm sorry for not including the interrogation between Bella and Mike, but it was just not speaking to me. Maybe I can post it as an outtake later.

Again, thanks to all of you for your reviews and support! It's much appreciated.


	21. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

-edward-

"Fuck," I groaned as I became aware of my surroundings. My head felt like it was going to explode.

I opened my eyes and was immediately grateful that Bella had closed the blinds.

A quick look at the clock showed that I'd slept most of the day. I frowned as I thought about how upset Bella was earlier this morning. I shook my head and then quickly regretted it. I sat up slowly and took a moment to adjust. I looked around our bedroom and was reminded that, once again, I hadn't woken up next to my wife. It's a feeling I've grown to hate over the past few weeks.

I walked into the bathroom and popped a couple of aspirin before jumping in the shower. As I stepped under the spray, the hot water stung my shoulder. When I looked at my arm, I noticed that I had small welts all over my shoulder and on my upper back. I frowned, trying to remember what the hell happened.

I heard voices in the front of our apartment and I silently cursed my family for being here. What I really wanted was to spend some time with Bella. I felt like we were off balance and I needed to fix it.

As I made my way down the hall, the talking got louder and the smell of food got stronger. My stomach growled and I remembered that I hadn't eaten the night before.

The living room was bright and I squinted as I walked into the room. Bella stood quickly and walked over to me.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" my beautiful wife asked me.

I bent slightly to kiss her, "like shit, but that's my own fault. Thanks for taking care of me."

She rolled her eyes at me, "you're lucky I didn't have a bat in my closet or I probably would have knocked you out."

I frowned, "What?"

She laughed quietly,"I hit you with my shoe last night." She ran her fingers gingerly along my shoulder, "does it hurt? I'm sorry."

I smiled at her, "it stung in the shower. But I'm okay and I've learned my lesson about coming home late."

Bella tilted her head up and I kissed her lips softly.

"Why are you so short today?"

She slapped my chest, "come eat."

I took her hand and laced our fingers together.

The dining room was ridiculously loud and my eye twitched from the pain. I quietly said hello to everyone and started eating the pasta Bella placed in front of me. I moaned and nodded. Delicious.

Jasper slid into the chair next to me. I looked over at him and noticed that he looked exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he hadn't shaved in a week. When had I seen him last?

"You okay, man?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head and closed his eyes, before blowing out a deep breath, "Can we talk when everyone leaves?"

I nodded and tapped him on the back.

~~u~~

Bella made coffee and brought some chocolate cake into the living room, where Jasper and I were sitting. She set the tray on the cocktail table and stood to leave but Jasper reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Will you stay? This involves you, too." I frowned, not liking the way he touched my wife. And worried about what could possibly involve Bella.

Bella stared at him for a moment before squeezing his hand, "Let me grab some coffee. I'll be right back."

I picked up my coffee and relaxed into the sofa cushions. My brother sat across from me, his elbows on his knees and his hands in his hair.

"Jas?" I asked.

He gave me a humorless laugh and shook his head. "Ed, I fucked up."

Bella walked back into the room with a piece of cake and a cup of coffee. She looked between Jasper and me with questions in her brown eyes.

We sat quietly for minute and waited for Jasper to speak. The tension was suffocating, making me nervous about what he had to say.

"She's pregnant." he said quietly and shook his head. The pain in his eyes pierced me, but before I could react, Bella jumped up and went to his side.

He let out a mirthless chuckle, "can you believe that? I thought..." He trailed off and closed his eyes, dropping his head back into his hands. Bella was rubbing his back but looking at me with wide eyes.

Pregnant. Who is he talking about? Is it his? Carlisle is going to flip his shit.

"Jasper, why don't you tell us what's going on?" Bella asked him quietly.

He looked up at me with a frown. "I met Alice right after your engagement party. We talked, became friends, or whatever you want to call it. I took her out on a couple of dates and things were going well. I had hoped...," he trailed off again and I was losing my patience.

"Come on, Jasper," I said impatiently. Bella shot me a look, but Jasper jumped up and started pacing the room.

"The only thing Alice knew about me was my name, Jasper _Rizzo_, and that I worked in property management with my brother. We were...together. Next thing I know, she's gone, vanished. I was so fucking worried about her but I felt like I couldn't say anything. I couldn't tell anyone." He stopped moving and tangled his hands in his hair.

"Then she contacted Isa. I was so pissed that she called Isa but couldn't take a second to let me know she was okay. After we saw Alice at the hotel, I asked Kate to run a background check on her. Kate called me about a week later asking me to come into her office. But I put it off. We had all that crazy shit going on and I figured it could wait," he shook his head.

He walked over to the window and looked out. The sky had grown dark and the city lights were bright in contrast. "The file had all kinds of shit...bank records, addresses for the last ten years, information on her business, contact information, family members, old boyfriends. The place she lived the longest was New York, and one of the men she dated was named Felix. The file said they were together for more than five years, until she moved her business to Chicago full-time."

I stayed quiet and chanced a look at Bella who now looked pale.

"The notes said that their relationship ended abruptly. There was a fight and she fled New York. The 'witness' said Felix was destroyed when she left and claimed he would get her back. So, a few months later," he paused and looked at me, "there's a photo shoot."

"The warehouse," I answered and then Jasper looked at Bella.

Bella gasped, "her picture. You saw her picture on my computer."

He nods, "and you told me her name. I looked her up and called her. We talked a few times, met for lunch. It was great you know, we talked and went out to dinner. I wanted to know her, find out what made her tick. So we moved slow."

"I went into Kate's office last week to get something for Carlisle and she gave me the file."

I jumped up, "you've known this shit all fucking week and you didn't tell me?" Before I knew what happened, I already had him pushed up against the wall. "You've known he was after Alice and didn't say anything. I've been going out of my fucking mind worried that he would get to Bella while I wasn't home!"

Jasper didn't fight me, "I didn't know he was here for Alice. All of the information he had on Isa was right. So we all thought he was chasing Isa, not Alice."

"What the fuck ever, Jasper. You knew that Alice was involved and you didn't say shit about it." I yelled.

His head fell against the wall. "Edward," I heard Bella call my name.

"How long have you known?"

"A week," he answered. "I just told you I didn't pick up the fucking file!" he yelled at me.

"Edward," Bella called me again. I pushed Jasper against the wall, hard. And moved away from him.

I walked to the other side of the room, distancing myself.

"Jasper," Bella said quietly, "what did you mean that he was chasing me?"

Jasper banged his head against the wall and let out a string of profanities. "He came to Chicago to see Alice and saw her with me."

No fucking way. I closed my eyes and saw red. I could feel the anger coursing through my body.

"He followed us and at some point he saw you and Isa together."

"So what? He fucking decided that he would take my Bella because you took Alice?" My voice was scary quiet. My brother met my eyes and didn't look away. His silence told me everything I needed to know.

Motherfucker.

The thing is though, I could understand Felix's logic, his anger, his need for revenge. It is how I would feel if Bella were to end up with someone else. No, not just _any _someone else, but my enemy. I would do whatever I could to destroy him, his family, whatever I could get my hands on to make the pain go away.

I looked up to see Jasper hugging Bella and telling her how sorry he was. She shook her head and pulled away from him.

"Alright," I said, unable to hide the annoyance in my voice. "What did you say about someone being pregnant?"

Jasper's eyes took on a hard, steely glint. "Alice is pregnant."

"Is it yours?" I asked.

"No."

My eyes went wide with surprise.

"Felix has a guy on his payroll - FBI. He took Alice from her apartment." He chuckled and shook his head, "Fucking Mike Newton just happened to be watching Alice's building that night. So Felix's guy had to act like he was taking Alice in for questioning."

I nodded, "so that's why she was taken into protective custody."

"Right." Jasper cleared his throat and I looked up at him. "When Demetri got to the house last week, he saw that she was not actually in custody, but with Felix. Demetri said she looked a little smaller than Gianna and he guessed that Felix dropped out of Chicago to take care of Alice."

"So what now? Did Demetri take Alice to Belleville? "

He nods, "He called me right after I picked up the file from Kate."

I shook my head, fucking great. Now Felix will raise hell because his pregnant girlfriend is missing.

"Ed, look, I'm fucking sorry, alright? I should have picked the file up sooner. We could have ended this sooner."

I shook my head, "Let's just figure out what we're going to do now."

"Demetri has her at the farm. She went willingly because he mentioned my name. But she won't talk to him." He ran his hands through his hair again. "Ed, I can't go there. If I see her..." he turned away from me.

"Fuck," I cursed quietly.

"She can end all of this shit. We need to talk to her. I need you and Isa to go there. Get what we need from her. No doubt Felix is already on his way to Chicago, so you get Isa out of the city and we'll handle shit here. I just want this done, Edward."

I looked at him for a long moment before turning to Bella. She was sitting next to my brother but looking at her hands.

"Babe, what do you think?"

When she looked up at me, her eyes were hard. She nodded once and then stood and walked out of the room.

"Get everyone together. We need to work out the logistics before I take my wife anywhere near Alice. You feel me?"

"Yeah," he stood and walked over to me. I could see the sadness and anger at war in his eyes. He hugged me hard, "I'll call you after I talk to Dad and Gramps."

I nodded, "Let's finish this."

He walked out and I went after my wife.

~bella~

I pulled two large suitcases out of the closet and laid them on the bed. My hands were shaking with nerves. What the hell does Jasper expect me to do to a pregnant woman? And what the hell am I supposed to say to her? Honestly, I'm kind of pissed off at her. How could she agree to go out with Jasper when she was pregnant with another man's child? And how could she ever think Felix wouldn't come after her? She couldn't be that oblivious.

All she's done is cause problems in our lives. She caused issues with Edward and I months ago when she acted like they had fucked. And then again at the hotel. Jasper is heartbroken over their...well, whatever they had together. How can I trust anything she says? How do we know that she hasn't already tipped Felix off with where she is?

I sucked in a deep breath and made my way to the dresser. I grabbed underwear, socks, pajamas and whatever else my hands touched. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I threw all of it back into the drawer and took another breath.

I looked up and noticed that Edward was in the doorway watching me. My hands dropped to my sides and my shoulders slumped. He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, his eyes connected to mine in the mirror. He leaned down and kissed the side of my neck.

My eyes closed and I relaxed into him. I concentrated on the feel of his hard chest behind me, his legs wrapped on the outside of mine, his fingers as they moved toward my breasts. His breath was hot on my neck, his lips soft and wet against my skin.

My body automatically reacted to him. My stomach fluttered and my skin heated in anticipation. I needed him.

I reached up behind me and tangled my fingers into his hair. He looked down at me through his lashes and his eyes were dark, blazing. I pulled his hair and he groaned. I angled my head to kiss him and he wasted no time loosening the ties that held my dress together. I tried to turn in his arms but he stopped me. I opened my eyes and he shook his head.

He took my hands and placed them on the dresser, his eyes roaming my exposed flesh in the mirror. My dress hung open revealing royal blue satin bra. I swallowed and looked up at him, his eyes met mine in the mirror with a small smile.

His hands moved softly. One moving to tangle in my hair, while the other slipped to my front. His large hand moved slowly over my stomach before taking my breast in his hand. He slipped his fingers under the cup of my bra and massaged me, pulled me. I closed my eyes and took in a breath. His hand moved again, upward toward my collar bone before wrapping gently around my neck.

I opened my eyes and looked at him with question.

"Watch me," he whispered into my ear.

My God he's so fucking sexy.

His hand trailed down my body slowly, his eyes watching me as I watched his hand. It moved slowly and disappeared into the blue satin and cupping my sex. The sight was erotic enough, but when his finger slipped inside of me, I couldn't hold back the moan that escaped me.

His finger moved languidly, in and out. Slipping out to rub the nub that seemed to throb with want. I leaned back against him and met his eyes in the mirror.

I shuttered as his fingers ran over me once again, two fingers slipping inside of me. His fingers sped up as he pressed himself against me.

"Ah!" I gasped as his other hand pulled my hair, pulling my face to his.

I was lost in our kiss and his fingers and the trembles that moved my body. I could feel myself tightening around his fingers, my body aching with need and want and release. My free hand moved to the front of his pants awkwardly and I pressed my hand against him. He groaned into my mouth and pulled his hand from me and pulled me into him.

He tugged my underwear off and then undid his pants, letting them drop to the floor. I pushed his shirt up and he removed it before he pushed my dress off of my shoulder. His strong arms picked me up and I immediately wrapped my legs around him. He backed us up into the wall beside the dresser and moved his hands to grip my ass. His fingers dug into my skin and it felt delicious. I closed my eyes and my head hit the wall behind me. And just as quickly, he slipped inside of me.

My arms were planted on the wall beside me as one of his arms held me up. Edward's other hand rested on the wall next to my face. I wanted to lick his skin, so I did. And then I sucked on the skin inside of his wrist.

"Fuck," he groaned loudly.

He picked up speed and my insides tingled. Our position was almost uncomfortable, my stomach muscles straining with the angle Edward held me in. My arms flexed, futilely trying to hold myself up. I shifted, intending to hold on to his shoulders but I looked down to the image of Edward's beautiful cock slipping in and out of me. The sight captivated me and I forgot all about my hands and our position. I was on fire, burning for a release. I tried to move my hips so I could gain more friction. He moved into me, pushing me tightly against the wall, bouncing me as he pounded into me.

"Edward..." I whispered.

His hand slipped between us and his fingers moved quickly, erratically and that was all it took for me to let go. I gasped and tightened around him as he pushed into me once more, pulling me tightly against him. His breath was hot on my skin, his forehead slick against my neck and my hands were slippery against his skin. I smiled, loving that we do this to each other.

My husband tightened his hold on me and carried me into the bathroom. He set me on my feet and leaned in to kiss me. This kiss was love, satisfaction, adoration, slow and soft and I would have fallen to my knees if he wasn't holding me up.

He pulled away with a shy smile that made me giggle.

"I love you, mia Bella."

"Ti amo, mio marito," I answered back softly.

~~u~~

An hour later we were sitting in his parent's living room. There were snide remarks and arguments regarding Alice, and Jasper's involvement with her. I felt bad for my brother in law, he didn't have a choice in all of this. Your heart wants what it wants, and his wants Alice.

"Okay, this is going nowhere," Edward called out over all of the voices. "We need a plan. Bella and I will go to Belleville and talk to Alice. But what the fuck are we going to do about Felix. If Alice hasn't tipped him off about where she is, then he's on his way to Chicago."

The room was silent. Edward was standing next to his grandfather who looked very pensive. Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Okay, okay." He started pacing and took a deep breath. "What do we have here Jasper?"

"Demetri has her in Belleville. Her background said she was with Felix for a few years, the FBI agent that was with her works for Felix. I don't know if Felix knows where she is or if he is here in Chicago already."

"Edward, Bella," Carlisle looked from Edward to me. "You're okay with going to Belleville to talk to this girl?" He spat the word girl with such disgust that I flinched.

I looked at Edward before nodding my head. "Yes, but what exactly am I supposed to ask her?"

Carlisle looked over at Santo who was looking at Edward. Santo, no longer ran this family, but to all in the room, he was still a strong figure. His son and grandchildren looked to him as an advisor.

"Isa, questo è molto sensibile," Santo said quietly. "We need to be careful that we don't push her so far that she shuts down, but we need answers. We need to know what the Aros are up to."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, so what's the plan?"

We planned through the night. The men finally letting me in on their thoughts regarding the Aro's motives. They believed that Alice was sent to Chicago, probably without Felix knowing. She was told to get to know Jasper, and then Felix would show up and cause trouble.

Carlisle seemed to think that all of the noise about Renee came into play only because they found out I was her daughter. He still didn't know how Peter and Charlotte fit into this story, but he wasn't very worried about them at the moment.

Bottom line, the Aros are trying to push their way into Chicago and the Cullen's aren't having it. My job is to get Alice to admit her part in all of this, and find out what their plans are so we can stop them. That's it. And I, for one, can't help to wonder how the fuck I'm supposed to do that.

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a/n: Hello everyone! So here is the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it. As always, thanks so much to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading and editing this for me.

Also...I hit the 200 review mark! I am so excited by this. Thanks so much to all of you who review, it helps me maintain the confidence to keep moving forward.


	22. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_As always, thanks so much to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading and adding the commas I hate so much. _

~~edward~~

Bella and I spent the next couple of days in our apartment. Catching up on time with each other and planning our trip to Belleville. My biggest concern was that Felix would be lurking near the farm and we would be ambushed.

Mymind jumped back and forth between two scenarios. One, he knows where Alice is and is waiting for one of us to show up. Or two, he is already in Chicago planning to take one or all of us out. All I can hope for is that our plans hold steady, and we come out on top.

Bella and I decided to schedule a mini-vacation as our cover. I booked a room at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis. We will stay there for a day, make sure we are seen by the staff, unpack our clothes and then drive to Belleville during the day and return at night.

I hoped our conversation with Alice would not take more than a couple of days but I'd booked our room for seven days, just in case. As for Alice, well, I'm not sure what will happen to her. That isn't my decision. But the fact that she willingly set Jasper up doesn't give me any sympathy for her. I haven't considered the fact that Jasper said she is pregnant. I don't think I can actually believe that until I see it for myself.

"Edward," Bella called me from the kitchen.

I made my way to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Yes, dear," I whispered in her ear.

She shivered against me and I smiled, enjoying the effect I have on her.

Her hand reached up and tangled into my hair, pulling me to her for a kiss. We had been this way for the past two days, clingy, touching, kissing. I couldn't get enough of her.

"Take this to the dining room, please. Everyone will be here in a few minutes."

I kissed her once more before picking up the dishes she pointed me to.

Just as Bella and I finished setting the table, there was a knock on the door and our quiet time was over.

~~u~~

"Good morning, sir. Welcome to the Chase Park Plaza Hotel," the woman at the desk greeted me.

"Hello, I have a reservation for Cullen."

"One moment, Mr. Cullen," she answered with a smile.

I gave a curt nod and turned around to look for Bella. She had stopped in a little bistro to order a cup of coffee. I wasn't sure if she had gotten us a table for breakfast or if she was getting the coffee to go.

"I see that you have booked a one bedroom suite for your stay, is that correct?"

I nodded and pulled out my wallet.

"Will you be staying alone, Mr. Cullen?" she asked quietly and her fingers grazed the outside of my hand.

I looked up quickly, surprised at her forwardness.

"No, he will not be staying alone," a sharp, agitated voice spoke from behind me. I smiled at the receptionist but reached behind me to take Bella's hand.

When Bella was next to me, I leaned in to kiss her softly and then handed my credit card to the woman who's face was red with embarrassment.

"Can you have someone take our bags to our room?" Bella asked sharply.

"Yes, of course, Mrs. Cullen," she answered nervously and then gave us our room keys and paperwork. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

Bella gave the woman a narrowed glance and led me to the restaurant with a small, self-satisfied smile on her face.

"Baby," I chastised her quietly, and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"What? She shouldn't be flirting with my husband."

I laughed out loud and squeezed her closer to me.

~~u~~

It was a little after six a.m. And the air was frigid. We were on our way to talk to Alice. I spoke with Demetri last night and he said things were fine. He had not seen anyone around the farm. The house itself is not very big. It has two small bedrooms, one bath, a living room and a kitchen.

**T**he layout **itself is what **made it attractive to my father. It is 150 acres of open land, allowing a clear view of the entire property, **from the house to the road**.. Only **around **the very edge of the property** was there **any kind of plant life. There are **also** reeds of tall grass that line the entrance of the driveway and the** road**.

Bella sat in the passenger seat with her eyes closed, but she was not asleep.**Her** breathing was measured and here fingers kept twitching. It was like she was forcing herself to be still, or trying to calm her nerves. I didn't want to disturb whatever was going on in her head, so I stayed quiet. But I did grab her hand and kiss her knuckles. It was the only comfort I could really give her.

About an hour later we pulled onto the** road **that led to the house. Bella tensed and sat up stiffly in her seat.

"Bella," I said quietly and waited for her to acknowledge me.

"Remember what we talked about? We need to know what Alec is up to and get an idea of who the real players are in this game." She nodded and turned to look out of the passenger window. "Just be yourself, Bella. She trusts you."

"I don't..." She shook her head and trailed off. I waited for her to continue.

"I am just so angry," she said quietly. "I don't think I can go in there and be her friend or act sympathetic. She used us, Jasper and me, in her games with Felix. What kind of person does that? She knows what kind of man Felix is. She had to know he would come after her."

"So tell her that. Tell her what you're feeling and make her explain. You hold the cards here, Bella, not her."

As I neared the house, I could see Demetri's figure on the porch.

Before getting out of the car, I pulled Bella's face into my hands. "It's going to be okay, baby. There are a lot of pieces in motion and we need to know what she knows to finish this. You have to have faith that things will work out, okay?"

"I trust you," her eyes darted back and forth between mine. "I love you, Edward. Never forget that."

I kissed her softly before getting out of the car. As I opened Bella's door, Demetri walked up to us. He shook my hand and kissed Bella's cheek.

Bella squeezed my hand before walking toward the house. I watched as she disappeared inside and looked over at Demetri, "let's hope she fucking talks."

~~bella~~

I walked insidethe house and quietly closed the door. There really wasn't much to it. A living room off to the right, a small dining room next to a kitchen with swinging doors, and a hallway with three closed doors. The hardwood floors were honey colored and the furniture was old, but the place was clean, void of personality or decoration, but clean.

A door opened at the end of the hall. I did not look over right away, I needed to keep my controlled expression in place. I thought back to my life before Edward, remembering the armour I wore every day to keep people out of my life, out of my heart. Once I felt it was firmly in place, I turned to the small woman who stood a few steps from me.

"Isabella," she said quietly.

I raised an eyebrow, "Alice."

"I was expecting Jasper," she said quietly then grimaced.

I chuckled, "I bet." I walked over to the window and opened it. Cold air rushed into the room but I welcomed it. Just the sight of Alice sent my emotions all over the place. So I used the crisp, clean air to get myself under control. I closed my eyes and took deep breath.

"Have a seat, Alice."

She sat down in a small chair across from me but she didn't speak.

"So, you're pregnant," I said with a bit of anger in my voice. "And a bit farther along than I **would have expected**. Farther along than _most _people would expect."

She rested a hand on her stomach, protectively** , **but didn't speak.

"So it obviously isn't Jasper's..." I trailed off.

"Isabella, I know this must look bad."

"Bad, really? That is the best you could come up with?" I laughed. "Yes, this looks bad. This," I looked at her stomach pointedly, "this looks like you were using Jasper to make another man jealous. Is that what you were doing?"

"I wasn't. I didn't even know I was pregnant..." she trailed off and looked at me for a long moment. I'm not sure what look was on my face but when she realized I was not going to buy her story, her face turned into a hard, ugly mask.

"Fine, yes I knew I was pregnant okay? You caught me. Great job, Isabella," she said with venom in her voice.

I sat on the couch across from her and gave her an appraising look. She looked as flawless as usual, hair artfully styled and her clothing impeccable. I smoothed out my skirt and crossed my legs, giving the impression that I was prepared to sit here all day. My plan was simple, make her angry enough to reveal what needs to be known. I'm good at pissing people off, this should be fun.

I smiled brightly, "So what happened? You decided to run away from home? Aren't you a bit old for that?" I asked obnoxiously. She narrowed her eyes and stayed quiet.

"Oh no, better yet, you decided to go out on your own, pay your own way? Get out from under the man, literally?" I chuckled. "Or maybe Felix got tired of you and kicked you out? Hmmm..." I said and tapped my chin, " or could it be that the baby isn't Felix's?"

Her face paled and her fingers twitched over her pregnant belly. I folded my hands in my lap. "Ah, so that's it? The baby isn't Felix's is it?"

Tears welled in her eyes and she turned away from me. "Look Alice, with all of the shit going on here, it would really be in your best interest to talk to me. This isn't only about you now. There are a lot people affected by this little war you started** by running away and being childish.**."

She sat up straight and looked me in the eye, her anger was palpable. "You don't think I fucking know that? My God, all I've ever wanted to do was design clothes**, **and somewhere along the line I lost control of my life. I never intended for any of this to happen!"

I stood up and walked over to her, "Fuck that, Alice. When you moved to Chicago you knew exactly what the hell was going on! You knew exactly who you were dealing with. I am not going to feel sorry for you. My family is in danger because of you! And I will not hesitate to do whatever I can to keep them safe."

We stared at each other for a long moment before her body fell back into the chair. Her eyes closed and a tear slid down her cheek.

"I want to disappear with my baby. I will tell you what I know, but I want you to promise me that my baby and I will be safe."

There was no way I could promise her this.

"If you give us the information we need, I will make sure that you and your child stay safe," Edward said as he entered the room. "Only if you tell us _everything_ we need to know and if I find out that the information you give us is wrong, or we walk into a trap, all bets are off. Someone will always know where you are, understand?"

Alice finally turned her attention to Edward. It took a few minutes for her to nod in agreement.

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked.

"How about the beginning?"

Her shoulder's slumped and another tear fell down her face. "I had just moved to New York. I graduated from school and landed an entry level position at one of the design houses**, **and as you can imagine I was barely making enough to survive. I ran into Felix while I was on a lunch run." She looked out of the window with a far away look in her eyes. "He was charming and beautiful and I was putty in his hand. We went out that night and I was with him every night after that. I didn't know that he was affiliated with..." she trailed off. "He kept that part of his life hidden."

She was quiet for a moment. She took a deep breath, "We were together a year before I found out who he was. We had just moved in together and I had a large office where I worked on my personal designs. It was late at night..."

_(Alice's memory)_

_I was in my office working on designs for the clothing line I wanted to start. I had just flipped the sheet over in my sketch pad and just as I touched the pencil to the paper, the living room door banged loudly against the wall. _

_I jumped out of my chair and ran into the living room. What the hell?_

"_Felix?" I cried._

"_Alice, grab towels and sheets and hot water," he yelled at me. I just stood there in shock watching the scene in front of me. _

"_Alice!" he yelled again and I jumped. With tears in my eyes and shaking hands I ran to the linen closet and grabbed what he asked for. _

_I ran back to him and handed him a stack of towels. _

"_Water, Alice. I need hot water."_

_I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the largest bowl I could find and filled it with hot water. I also grabbed the first aid kit that Felix kept under the sink. _

_I sat the items on the coffee table and then moved to the corner of the room, not knowing what else to do. There were people streaming in and out of our apartment, a bloody man lying on my floor and I __**became**__completely invisible. _

_My mind was running in a hundred directions, not understanding what was going on. I had never seen any of these people before and they all spoke in Italian, so I had no idea what they were saying. I didn't understand what was happening and Felix didn't speak to me once after I'd handed him the items he asked for. He purposely ignored me, as did everyone else in the room. It was like I wasn't important enough to worry about._

_That night Felix told me he was an Aro, I was never to speak of what happened __**tonight, **__and I shouldn't consider running because he would always find me. It was all he said before walking out. _

_Felix spent very little time with me after that. He didn't come home for days at a time, missed dinner reservations, he didn't call, and he sure as hell wasn't sleeping in my bed. I'd __**even**__ seen him with another woman. _

_I was walking to our apartment after a long work day and I saw him sitting in a restaurant across the street. A quick glance before crossing the street changed __my entire life. _

_He sat with a red headed woman in the window of our favorite restaurant. He faced the street, as he normally did, and his eyes met mine through the glass. My eyes welled with tears and his eyes narrowed slightly before he turned his attention back to his date and continued eating. I felt worthless, stupid, heartbroken._

_I folded into myself after that. I increased my work hours once again and saved all of my money. I was going to get away from him, regardless of what he said. _

_It had been months since I had seen Felix. He was paying all of our bills but never made an appearance. I was returning from a quick trip to the grocery store, and a man was sitting on our stoop. He looked like Felix, dark hair and blue eyes. He wasn't as large as Felix and his face was softer. I stopped in front of him and waited. _

"_Let me help you carry these inside."_

_I stood frozen for a second more, before sighing and opening the door. _

_That night, I entered into a pact with the devil. Alec Aro came in and took over my life. He made sure that I understood my place, offered me money to start my clothing line and eventually made me fall in love with him. _

_Alec is the reason I am where I am today, the reason I came to Chicago, the reason I targeted Jasper, he set up the appointment with Isabella's studio – he's behind everything. What Alec didn't count on was Felix finding out about our affair, me getting pregnant, or Renee Buccieri becoming a problem. _

Tears slipped over her cheeks as she turned her attention back to us. "If you haven't figured it out, Alec wants Chicago. He wants everything. He has been working on this for the past year and everything was falling into place, until Isabella came into the picture. Isabella, Renee Buccieri, Felix – the three of you threw a wrench into his plans. Antonio doesn't know about any of this, only Alec's personal guards know what is going on.

"He has people planted all over Chicago," she paused and furrowed her brow, "or he did until Felix got here. I don't really know what's going on anymore."

She stopped talking, and Edward and I sat in silence trying to absorb all of this information. Alec and Alice were having an affair, Alec wants Chicago, Alec planted Alice to seduce Jasper. Alec was behind all of it.

The man who sat in Carlisle's home and planned, strategized on what to do about Felix to keep me safe. It was all a game. Who knows what information he's come into since that meeting so long ago. Edward sat quietly next to me but I could feel him vibrating under his skin.

"What about Daniel? The lawyer?" I asked.

She laughed, "Daniel is actually a good guy. He only cared about rescuing that teenage girl. He doesn't care for Alec's leadership skills and he pointed it out every chance he could." She wrung her hands in her lap, "He's actually the one that set up the 'kidnapping' for me. He was trying to get me out of the city but that idiot police officer opened his big mouth. And then your guy found me and now I'm here."

"Look," she said, "I don't know the intricate details of what is going on. You guys know how this works, the women are not privy to business. All I know is what I overhear. Alec does not let anything slip and Felix doesn't plan far enough ahead for anyone to know what is going on. Alec is wired all over the city. He has people watching you, your family, he has people on the police force, people at the docks. He is playing a chess game and getting all of his pieces in place."

Edward pulled out his phone. "I need a private jet...yeah...tonight."

"I'm going to go rest." Alice stood and made her way toward the bedroom. I watched her move slowly across the room not sure if I believed everything she had to say. But then again, what did she possibly have to lose?

"For what it's worth," she stopped before entering the hallway, "I am sorry. I'm sorry that you are in this mess and that I contributed to it, but my main concern here is my child. And I will do anything to keep her safe." Alice didn't turn to face us **as she spoke**, and continued toward her room.

I looked over at Edward and I could see that his mind was already calculating our next move. He must have felt my eyes on him because he turned toward me with a furrowed brow.

"Baby, can you drive us back to the hotel? I need to make some calls."

I nodded and stood **up** from the couch. Edward pulled my hand and I looked over at him. He placed a kiss on my** lips, and **for a moment, I wished that **everything was normal**...that it was just the two of us, alone and lots of sweet kisses.

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a/n: So...what'd you guys think? Surprised about Alice? Send me reviews and let me know.

Thanks to everyone for reading! And for all of the lovely reviews and alerts. And I especially enjoyed hearing from those of you who just found this little story. Until next time, Take care!


	23. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading..._

~~edward~~

I'm so fucking tired. We've been back at the hotel for a few hours and I just hung up the phone after speaking with my father and Jasper. To say they were angry would be an understatement. We went over every detail from the meeting with Alice. Fucking Alice. Needless to say, Jasper got the brunt of my father's anger.

There is a knock on the door and I go to answer it. Bella walks out of the bedroom wearing dark blue satin pajama pants and a matching lacy top. Fuck...was she planning to answer the door in that? I raise my hand to stop her and open the door. Thankfully, my wife walks out of the room so I don't have to punch the guy delivering our food.

I sign the ticket and usher him out of the room quickly.

"Bella, come eat," I call as I take the lids off of the dishes.

"Are you off of the phone?" she asks and I nod. She doesn't say anything and I'm grateful. I haven't been in the best of moods this afternoon. And while Bella has been quiet as well, I've been pissed off because of the re-hashing of events with my family.

Before she was able to sit down, I pulledher to me and told her I loved her and how beautiful she is. She smiled, my special smile, and told me '_I love you, so much' _before placing a hand on my cheek and kissing my jaw. These are the moments I long for, the moments that remind me why I fell in love with her.

I pull her chair out so she can sit and then I sit across the table from her. I'm hesitant to give Bella the details of the conversation I had earlier. The less she knows the better, but the more she knows, the better she can protect herself. And really, that's my ultimate goal - her protection, her safety.

So far, everyone is just pissed off that we were stupid enough to be fooled. Luckily, and only by sheer chance, we have been able to keep our heads above water and not look like idiots on the street.

I called Ty to let him know there was shit going down and to keep his eyes open and spread the word. Paul, Emmett and my cousin Johnny are on their way here to pick us up, because my father wants all of us in the city together. The guys will pick up Demetri, put Alice on a plane and then come for Bella and me. They should be here by morning.

I look down at the food I haven't touched, and then over at Bella. She is picking at her food, popping small pieces of chicken into her mouth.

Deciding it would be better to talk, I stood from my chair and reached for her hand. I led us to the couch and pulled her onto my lap. We sat quietly for a few minutes while I got my thoughts in order. I twirled her wedding ring around her finger.

"Edward, whatever you want to say, just say it. I know that you have a lot on your mind after speaking with your father, but you don't have to hide from me, or protect me," her fingers tangle in my hair and she places a hand to my cheek. "We are in this together. We both need to be on the same page to keep each other safe."

I kissed her softly and smiled. "My beautiful, intelligent wife," I said quietly before kissing her again.

"So, as you can guess, my father is angry...furious with the situation. He's pissed that Jasper didn't run the background check sooner, that he made assumptions that Alice was 'safe'. Carlisle also laid into him for letting a piece of ass cloud his judgment," Bella's eyes lifted at my comment.

I thought back to the day in our apartment, when Jasper told us what was going on. Something was off with him. The whole Alice thing, something wasn't right. His panic about not picking up the background check and the whole _'I thought we could be more'. _I was too pissed off at the time to really think about it, but I didn't even know he was seeing anyone when all of the Felix shit started going down. Isn't that something I should have noticed? Then again, I did the same thing with Bella. Jasper was surprised and angry when he saw her in the warehouse that day. But Bella and I were hiding a story, I was protecting my ass. I need to talk to my brother, one on one.

"Regardless,' I said, "we are where we are. My father had all of the houses swept and changed the security systems. He also ordered everyone to get back to business. Move back into our homes, work, whatever we did before Felix came to town. He has enlisted 'help' to track the Aros in Chicago and New York, specifically, Alec and Felix. This means you will see some new faces, none of them should ever speak to you directly but Paul will always be with you, okay? You are not to go anywhere alone," my eyes focused on hers to make sure she understood. When she nodded, I continued.

"I will make sure you are familiar with the new faces so you aren't taken off guard or worried about who they work for. Carlisle, Jasper and my grandfather are getting things in order as we speak. People will be flying in from all over so it will be chaotic for a little while. At this point, it's kill or be killed," I drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Bella, please promise me that you will be smart, don't go anywhere alone or without letting someone know. And make sure you call someone if things feel off. I wouldn't survive if something happened to you."

Her hands were shaking, "I promise. I will do as you ask. But what about you, Edward? How will I know you're safe? My God, if something were to happen to you..." she trailed off not hiding the tears that welled in her eyes.

"I will be careful, Bella. I've been living this life for a long time. I know how to take care of myself, but I promise to be careful."

She nodded and rested her forehead against mine. We were quiet for a long time. My mind was racing with what would happen over the next few days. I glanced at the clock and squeezed Bella's hip.

"Let's go to bed, baby. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." I moved forward on the couch and then stood, keeping Bella in my arms. I sat her on the bed and then undressed and used the bathroom. Bella walked in a few moments later to brush her teeth. I leaned against the counter and watched her. It has only been a few months since she entered my life, but I would never be able to live without her.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Bella had finished until she wrapped her arms around me. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"Come on."

We climbed into bed and Bella laid directly on top of me, every part of her body in contact with mine. I used my fingers to pull her face to mine, "I love you."

She hummed, "I love you, too."

Bella drifted off to sleep, but I was awake long into the night. Plotting and planning, hoping to contribute when we arrived in Chicago tomorrow. If I know my father, things are already in motion and things are going to move quickly. There won't be any time for me to 'think things over'. Quick, solid decisions will be necessary and I needed to psyche myself up. I need to think like I did before Bella came into my life, like I had nothing to lose. It would be the only way we would be able to come out of this unscathed.

~~u~~

The next morning started out early. Bella and I were up at dawn, savoring the last few moments of alone time that were left. We ordered room service and had a light breakfast and enjoyed coffee while we waited for everyone.

At around seven, I got a text from Emmett saying that they were about half an hour away. I took our luggage into the living room while Bella finished dressing. I walked back into the bedroom as Bella walked out of the bathroom.

My God, such a beautiful woman. She was wearing jeans that looked like they were painted on, a loose blouse that hung off of one shoulder and little gray boots with a skinny heel. Her hair was in curls down her back and the only make-up she wore was lip gloss.

"What?" she asked as she tilted her head and put on her earrings.

I shook my head and walked over to her. She straightened, "Are you okay?"

I gently moved my hands along her body before resting them on her ass and pulling her into me. Our kiss was slow and smooth and I didn't pull away until we needed to breathe.

"Wow..." she said quietly.

"Mhmmmmm...," I hummed. "I love you, Isabella Cullen."

"I love you, my husband."

Just as I was going to lean back in, a knock on the door sounded. My shoulders slumped as I realized our time alone was over.

Bella smiled sympathetically and grabbed my face. She gave me a quick kiss and then nodded toward the door.

When I opened the door, Paul and Emmett practically fell into the room.

"What the hell?"

"Ed, we have to get out of here, now."

Paul was on his phone and Emmett moved toward the window to look outside.

"What's going on?" Bella asked as she walked into the room.

Paul walked over and kissed Bella's cheek but was still on the phone. Emmett walked over and kissed Bella as well.

"We went to the airfield to put that chick on a plane. Demetri, Paul and I got out of the car. I had the luggage, Paul helped the girl and Demetri was talking to the pilot. We heard someone yell and by the time I turned around, some asshole had a gun aimed at Johnny. John must have pulled his gun also because there were two shots. John went quick, but the asshole was hit in the neck so he was bleeding out all over the damn place."

He took a deep breath and ran his hands back and forth through is hair. Bella came over and wrapped her arms around me.

"Paul hurried that chick onto the plane and Demetri stuffed an envelope in the pilot's hand telling him to get the fuck out of there," Emmett continued. "Demetri stayed to clean up and Paul and I caught a cab here to pick you up."

"Holy shit," I whispered.

Paul hung up the phone. "A car is picking us up in ten minutes. Let's get downstairs so we can get the hell out of here."

Bella wrapped a big scarf around her body and grabbed her purse. She came back to my side and I could feel her trembling.

We made ourway downstairs and I walked up to the desk to check out. Paul wrapped a protective arm around Bella and Emmett stood facing me on the other side of her.

I checked us out quickly and we made our way to the sidewalk right as the car pulled up. Emmett asked the guy a few questions before allowing any of us to get into the car. Once inside, a quiet tension took over. We pulled up to the airport, and the driver stopped by the curb and Emmett jumped out to grab our bags. Paul and I stood on either side of Bella.

I guided Bella to the ticket counter, "Hello, we need four tickets to Chicago, O'hare please."'

~~bella~~

As soon as we were in the air, I twisted in my seat and rested my legs on Edward. My feet dangled in between his legs and his hand rested on my thigh. I had a wedding magazine in my lap but I was staring at Edward.

Sometimes, I just couldn't get enough of him. His head was resting against the seat and his eyes were closed. I'd never noticed how long his eyelashes were. I closed my eye and ran my finger along my lashes wondering if his were longer. Edward chuckled and I looked up at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked. His head tilting toward me.

I smiled and felt my face get warm. "You're eyelashes are so long, I wanted to see if mine were as long as yours."

He laughed and puckered his lips. I leaned in to kiss him. His lips were soft and warm and he smiled against my mouth. I pulled away and smiled back. He glanced down at the magazine sitting in my lap.

"So, how is the wedding stuff coming along?" he asked.

I smiled brightly and looked down at the magazine in my lap. His fingers squeezed my thigh and I glanced up at him.

"Are you upset that I haven't helped you with the planning?"

I squeezed his fingers and shook my head. "No, you give me your input when I ask for it. That's enough. Your mom and Nonna Cesca have been amazing."

He nodded and kissed me quickly. "Okay, so we have a couple months, right?"

I nodded and sat up straighter, keeping my legs in between Edward's. "So I booked the big room at Fulton's. Tanya and I chose an assortment of appetizers and a wedge salad to start and then a choice of steak or Alaskan King Salmon with potatoes and vegetables for dinner. We still need to pick out a cake and I made an appointment for Wednesday. Do you think you'll be able to come with me?"

"Let me know what time and I will plan around it," he answered. I clapped and smiled making him laugh again.

I went on to tell him about the invitations and party favors that Esme and Nonna Cesca were helping with.

"I guess there are things that just 'are' and I am not to argue about it. I'm not sure but the major plans are pretty much set. Uhm..." I trailed off and Edward narrowed his eyes at me.

"What is it and how much is it going to cost me?"

I smacked his chest, "be quiet. It isn't going to cost anything, I don't think." I bit my lip and scrunched my nose. There isn't really a way around telling him. "Well," I dragged out the word, "Father Michael wants us to participate in a couples'retreat."

He was quiet and he stared at me like he was waiting for the punchline. I smiled and shrugged.

Edward started laughing, really loud. The people around us turned to look and I smiled and waved shyly. "Edward," I groaned.

"I am not going to a couples'retreat," he said, shaking his head.

"We have an appointment with him on Saturday morning."

"And I will let him know that it is not going to happen," he lowered his voice and leaned toward me. "Baby, we are already married and living together. I'm not going to sit around while other people discuss and give advice about _our_ relationship. It's nobody's fucking business. I'll double the donation amount or something."

I nodded, relieved because I didn't want to hang around with other engaged couples for an entire weekend,either. Call me anti-social.

We continued to talk for the remainder of the flight which wasn't very long. But as soon as the plane landed, the tension returned. Edward's features became hard, his body full of the tension and anger he was holding in. Emmett and Paul were no different. They all looked dangerous, for lack of a better word.

I sighed, knowing that we were in for a long afternoon.

~~u~~

Sitting and pacing, this is what I've been doing for hours. All of the men went directly into Carlisle's office when we arrived. I helped Esme make several dishes so the men could eat while they talked, but now I have nothing to do. I am anxious and nervous about how things are going to change.

Not to mention that Esme and Francesca keep breaking into tears every few minutes. Johnny was a nephew of someone in the family, and everyone is really upset. I think Edward said he was fairly young, trying to work his way up the ranks. I feel terrible, I didn't even know him and I can't picture his face. But I feel like I should have done more to get to know him. Even if the opportunity never presented itself, I feel like I am letting everyone down.

I groaned in frustration and looked over at the end table on the other side of the room. My camera case was sitting there. I walked over and opened the latch pulling my camera out of the bag. I turned it on and pushed play, the memory card was empty. I looked out of the window and noticed that the trees were almost bare, clusters of orange, red and yellow were scattered on the lawn.

I went to the closet and pulled on my jacket and gloves before grabbing the camera to go outside. I walked down the stairs quickly and made it to the front door. The guy sitting in the living room glanced at me but didn't make a move to stop me so I figured it was okay.

I walked slowly over to the left side of the house, looking out at the expansive property. The lawn was already starting to change color. I started snapping shots of the objects around me. A single leaf on the lawn, the bark on one of the old trees, I snapped a picture of the clouds overhead, the sky was gray and ominous, dark clouds were making there way toward us. As I lifted my camera, movement in the trees caught my eye. I turned quickly to see what it was, but there was nothing. I looked around the entire area finding nothing out of place. It must have been an animal,or a bird, but it spooked me.

I started moving backward, my feet carrying my body, and my brain telling me not to turn my back to the trees. As I made my way toward the house, I kept my camera low but continued snapping photos. I would probably get nothing but bad shots of the grassy floor, but something told me not to stop. I would count to five, then click. Moving the camera angle slightly on each shot.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

_click_

Movement, again. Not an animal. Shit, shit, shit. I quickened my pace and looked around the yard. Didn't Edward say there were people all around the property? We were safe, protected, right? Then why did I feel so unnerved. Damn it, I should not have come outside.

I glanced over my shoulder quickly, trying to gauge how far away from the house I was. Not too far, I could turn and run but I wasn't sure if I should. I kept clicking away on my camera. One, two, three – click.

I turned to my right, ready to make a run for it but a hand grabbed my arm before I could completely turn.

I screamed and tried to scramble away.

"Bella!" Edward called out as he tightened the hold on my arm. "Bella, what's wrong?"

Tears welled in my eyes and I took in a shaky breath. "Nothing," I said as I looked out at the trees again. "My imagination just got the best of me."

He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. After a moment he said, "Our meeting is over, let's go home."

~~u~~

I ran my hands through my hair, shaking it out. I had been working all afternoon. Taking photos, talking to clients, scheduling appointments for summer catalogues. I hadn't had a moment to myself all day.

Sitting in my chair was nice. I kicked off my shoes and lifted one foot, rubbing the instep. I leaned back and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes, I looked up at the clock, four thirty. Almost time to go. As I turned my head, I noticed my camera case hanging on the coat rack.

I hadn't looked at the camera since we'd had the meeting at Carlisle and Esme's. I stood up and winced as my feet screamed in protest. Grabbing the camera, I opened it up and pulled out the memory card. I stared at it for a few moments, wondering what I would find. And wondering if I really wanted to know. Sitting back down I pulled my laptop closer to me and stuck the memory card in the slot.

It asked if I wanted to import and I hovered over the button for a minute before clicking Yes. The images rushed over the screen as they transferred over. I tapped my finger impatiently and nervously, hoping there would be nothing of consequence depicted in the frames.

The folder opened and the images came to life. I clicked on the first photo to enlarge. A bright orange leaf covered the screen. I hit the next button finding much of the same. A sigh of relief escaped me and I shook my head, chuckling at how ridiculous I was.

My phone rang and I turned away from the computer to answer it.

Edward and Paul walked in a few minutes later. I was still on the phone when Edward walked over to me and kissed my forehead. He leaned over me and tapped on the computer. He always scrolled through the photos I took everyday. He said it made him feel like he got to see inside my head, even if it was just for a few minutes.

I moved my chair over a little, giving him some space. I could hear him clicking through the photos. But a small hiss caused me to look up at him.

I turned to the computer to see that the image was one of the random shots I had taken of the trees, there was the shadow of two men in the background.

"Alistair, can I call you back? There is a small emergency here in the office."

I hung up quickly and Edward flipped to the next photo. I zoomed in, hoping we could see something more. One of the men was approaching the tree line, wearing all black. I didn't capture the face of the man, but his sleeves were rolled up exposing a tattoo on his forearm. The next photo, his face is turned toward the trees behind him. Then he's retreating, then he's gone. And that is the last photo.

"Bella, when did you take these?" Edward asked. Paul was standing on the other side of Edward, scrolling through the photos again.

"When we are at your parent's house, for the family dinner," I said quietly, remembering that I shouldn't say too much.

"Are you almost done here?" he asked.

I nodded, "let me call Alistair back and then we can go."

~~u~~

After dinner, I bundled up and went out to the patio. I needed the cool air to clear my mind. I grabbed a box of invitations along with a few pages of address labels and got to work. I had been quietly humming along to the song playing on my iPod. The repetition of stuffing envelopes, adding monogrammed stickers and address labels was mind numbing work, and it was exactly what I was looking for. After a little while, it was becoming too cold to stay outside. I finished the box I was working on then packed everything and walked back inside. Just as I closed the patio doors, there was a knock on our door. I sat everything down and took off my sweater before making my way toward the foyer. I glanced through the peephole to find Jasper fidgeting outside.

I opened the door quickly, "Jasper."

"Hey, Isa," he ran his hands through his hair roughly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

I moved aside allowing him to enter. As he stepped inside, I closed the door. When I turned to follow him, he was right in front of me. He grabbed my hand tightly in his, "Isa, can I trust you?"

His face was so close to mine and his voice was low and rough. My heart started beating quickly as I looked at him. My eyes darted back and forth between his and I took in his features. There were dark shadows under his eyes, stubble on his face, and his eyes were dilated,they looked wild. I swallowed and nodded. His eyes were trained on mine and I was shaking. I have never been scared of Jasper, but this, this was different.

"Jasper, you're scaring me," I said quietly.

He leaned in and kissed my cheek before walking into the living room.

~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~~~~U~~~u~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~U~~~~~

a/n: Hello everyone! So what did you think?

I'd like to say thanks to all of you for the fantastic reviews last chapter. A HUGE thanks twilover76 and Sunflower3759 for rec'ing my story to The Lemonade Stand, I may have done a little happy dance when I saw that. And thanks to all of you who voted! And finally, HELLO! To all of the new readers that joined us.

Seriously, I love hearing from you guys. My apologies if I haven't responded to your review, but I read each and every one with a great big smile. =) See you soon!


	24. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

~~bella~~

I took a deep, shaky breath and rested a hand on my forehead, trying to calm myself down. Just as I was about to turn and go into the living room the front door opened and Edward was looking at me. Tears came to my eyes and I covered my mouth.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

At that moment, Jasper walked back toward us with a drink in his hands. Edward frowned and looked between his brother and me. Jasper had a cocky smirk on his face and I was in tears. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and closed the front door.

"What the fuck is going on?" he growled at his brother.

Jasper laughed and looked at the two of us. He opened his mouth to speak, but our door opened again. Emmett, Paul, Demetri, and a few other guys walked in.

"Hey what's up?" Emmett asked easily, not noticing the tension.

Jasper took a sip of his drink and shrugged before turning back toward the living room. Everyone looked from Edward to me and I shook my head and smiled.

Edward ushered everyone inside and I made my way to the kitchen. I started pulling platters out of the refrigerator and opened the oven to check the lasagna. When I turned, Edward was standing in the doorway. His face was hard and his eyes narrowed.

"What happened?" he asked.

My eyes welled with tears again but I closed my eyes, willing them to go away. "Nothing, nothing. He knocked on the door and asked if we could talk for a minute and when I invited him inside he asked me if he could trust me. He walked away from me just as you walked in. That was it," I answered as I walked toward him.

I was shaking again, my nerves completely shot. I didn't want Edward to be angry with me and I was truly worried about Jasper.

He sighed and wrapped me in his arms. I pulled myself together and placed a kiss on his chest before looking up at him. His hands cupped my cheeks and he kissed me. The kiss was urgent and needy, and I wondered what was going through his head.

"Whoa..." Emmett dragged the word out.

Edward pulled away from me with one more kiss and then punched Emmett in the stomach.

"Umfff..." Emmett groaned, "Damn, man."

Edward laughed and I turned back to the oven. There were only a couple of minutes left on the timer so I went ahead and pulled out the lasagna. I sprinkled it with fresh parmigiano and let it sit for a few minutes while I took the rest of the food to the dining room.

Edward and Jasper were having a meeting with their guys tonight so once the food was set up, I escaped to our bedroom.

~~u~~

I felt tingles along my forearm. Up and down, over and over. I tried to move but there was something blocking me. Hands came down on my hips to hold me steady. A large hand on my thigh and a swollen cock was pressed into my back, causing me to moan.

I turned around in my husband's arms so that I could see his face. His eyes were bright and eager. He kissed me and lifted my leg over his hip before slipping into me. We were slow and soft as we made love. I whispered_ I love you _over and over, unable to keep the words to myself.

I fell back to sleep shortly after, feeling warm and safe in Edward's embrace.

The next day was a complete mess. I had meeting after meeting and spent most of my day incar the running all over town.

I was exhausted and just wanted to go home and soak in a hot tub,but I had plans to meet Tanya for dinner.

We planned to meet atthe Chicago Firehouse, per Tanya's request. I had not eaten there before and thought it sounded kind of like a guy's hangout, but I didn't protest. I walked in and was seated quickly. I ordered a glass of wine and looked over the menu.

A few minutes later, the chair across from me was pulled out and I smiled expecting to find Tanya. But my eyes shot open in surprise at the person that sat across from me, "Jasper?"

~~jasper~~

I shrugged off my jacket and stepped outside to smoke. There are so many fucking people around here, it's hard to get a minute to myself.

My phone buzzed. I looked around before pulling it out of my pocket. _Tanya._

I smiled.

_Hey babe, just set it up. Cfh f3oh. Xx -T_

_thx dolcezza, Talk later -J_

I was still smiling when I walked back into the club. I have never been known to commit to one woman, but Tanya was slowly breaking me down. I hadn't messed around with anyone since we'd run into each other a few weeks ago. We'd had dinner and talked for hours, before having the most amazing fucking sex I'd had in my life.

I was replaying that night in my head when someone hit me on the back of the head.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I've been calling your name."

"What the fuck? Nothing's wrong with me. What the fuck do you want?"

Edward narrowed his eyes at me and sat in the chair across from me. "What the hell is going on with you?"

I didn't answer him.

He leaned forward, resting his arms on my desk, "you using again?" he asked in a whisper.

I closed my eyes. Fuck. I shook my head and laughed humorlessly.

"Jasper," he groaned. "Now is not the time to be getting fucked up, man."

"You think I don't already fucking know that?" I yelled at him. He clenched his teeth and glared at me.

"Fuck!" I yelled. "I have so much shit going on and I took something to take the edge off. Next thing I know, it's been three fucking days and I hadn't slept. I don't know, I just had so much shit to take care of." I blew a breath out and rolled my neck. "Look, Santo and Carlisle are already all over my ass okay? I don't need to hear this shit from you too. It's under control."

Ed blew out a breath and then rested his head in his hands. He rubbed his hands over his face before looking up at me again. I could tell he was trying to calm himself down before he punched my ass.

"Bella's worried about you," he said quietly. Fucking asshole. He knows I have a soft spot for her. He chuckled when he saw the look on my face, "She said you had crazy eyes." He shook his head again, "You sure you're okay?" His eyes darted back and forth between mine before taking in my appearance.

I shook my head, "I don't know much of anything these days and I scared the shit out of myself that night we were all at your place. I felt like there were fucking bugs crawling over my skin. But I'll be alright."

Ed nodded, "Good, so I can tell my wife that her brother is okay? I'm tired of talking about you when I get home at night."

I gave him a sharp nod. He looked at me for a few more seconds before asking, "What's going on? What's up for today?"

We talked business for the next hour and I updated him on the new guys hanging around. He got up to leave and I called out to him.

He turned toward me and I made my way around my desk pulling him into a quick hug, "Thanks for looking out for me."

He hugged me back and then pulled away keeping his hands on my shoulders, "Sempre, il fratello. See you tomorrow." (Always, brother)

I took a deep breath. My door opened again and Emmett made his way into the office, back to business.

Fuck, how am I going to get out of here. Every time I try to slip out of the office, someone calls my name. I grabbed a new pack of cigarettes from my desk and put them in my jacket pocket. I stared at my phone for a minute wondering if I should turn it off.

"Hey, man. I gotta head out for a few," I told Paul.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What do you mean, you gotta head out? I'm supposed to stick with you, Carlisle's orders."

"Come on, man. I know what the fuck I'm doing, I got my piece. I'm good. And I'm not fucking taking you on my date."

"Wooohoooohooo, date huh?" he laughed out loud. "When the hell did you start going on dates, asshole?"

"Since today, fucker. I'll fucking call you and check in so you don't get in trouble with Carlisle," I chuckled.

"Dude," I turned and he had a serious look on his face. "You shouldn't be out there alone."

I shrugged him off, "it's fine. Don't worry about it."

He nodded and frowned. "Alright."

"Laters," I called, as I walked out of the office into the hallway. I took a deep breath and walked toward the exit in the back of the club.

I jumped into my car and made my way downtown. I kept checking my mirrors but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. I parked in a garage down the road from the restaurant. When I walked out of the parking structure, I caught a cab to the restaurant. It was just after five thirty.

I walked inside and saw her sitting at a corner table. I smiled at the hostess and gestured toward table, to show I knew where to go.

I pulled out the chair across from her and she looked up. Her face went from a smile to surprise.

"Jasper?"

I shrugged and gave her smile. "Hey, Isa."

~~bella~~

My face felt warm. Why was Jasper meeting me here? Had Tanya set this up?

I frowned at my brother in law. I leaned forward to speak,but the waiter walked up asking for Jasper's drink order.

"Look, Isa, I know you are probably pissed right now," he started. The waiter returned with his drink and asked for our dinner choices.

Jasper leaned in again. "I'm sorry, I am taking liberties that are not mine to take. But I think you are the only person that can help me right now."

Another interruption by the waiter halted our conversation.

"I don't understand. How can I possibly be of any help to you?"

He frowned and looked into his drink glass. "I wasn't involved with Alice, at all. On any level." My eyes shot up.

"You lied?" I thought back to all of our conversations and I felt...hurt. He lied to me. I frowned and then sat up straight, shoulders squared. Did he lie or was he just using me, trying to find out what I knew about her.

He nodded and swallowed roughly. "I befriended her, that is true. The conversations I had with you weren't lies, Isa," he said, his eyes begging me to understand. "I thought she didn't know that I belonged to a family, but I knew she was affiliated with the Aros. I figured I could use her, and you, to find out what I needed to know. I may have alluded to more than there was between us, Alice and I. Not that I couldn't have felt that for her, I could have fallen for her,but knowledge of her life stopped that. You didn't know anything, I figured that out right away." He gave me a steady look and I stared back, "I won't apologize for trying to protect my family".

"And I never picked up the background check from Kate, I didn't lie about that. That was just a stupid fucking decision on my part. If I had, I would have known about Alec sooner." He looked at me quickly and apologized for his language.

I sat back in my chair trying to understand, see his point of view. Our dinner arrived and we ate in silence for a few moments.

"I found a lot of information in Alice's office, a lot of shit about Alec. The asshole surprisingly isn't very protective of information. Alice had some names of contacts and businesses – but I doubt she knew what they were. They were mixed in with a picture of Alec's wife and kids, asshole," he said the last part under his breath. "Alice was, is, his goomah and Felix has no fucking clue. Idiot thinks the child she's carrying is his," he finished off his drink, and raised his glass toward the waiter gesturing for another. "But what the hell do I know, it could be. Maybe she was trying to play the brothers against each other."

I listened quietly wondering where this was going. Is it true that Alice is playing the brothers against each other? Is she playing the part of awoman scorned,and looking for her piece of the pie? I tried to think back on my involvement with her, the closest we had come to a real conversation was when I asked her to make my dress, and even then we discussed nothing of consequence.

"There is a leak in our family, Isa," my eyes shot to his. "I have been driving myself crazy trying to find out who it is." He laughed, not with humor though. "I'm probably being fucking paranoid, but I can feel that it's right, you know? In my gut," he tapped his stomach. "I apologize for scaring you the other night. I should not have gone over to your place in the condition I was in, but pieces were falling into place and I knew I needed to talk to you. I don't know why … that's not true. I sought you out because you are able to see us from the outside. You did not grow up in this life, with the mindset we have. I needed to hear your thoughts, I need to see what all of this looks to someone on the outside. I think it will help me figure things out."

I leaned toward him and looked around us quickly. "Why do you think that there's a leak?" I whispered. And then I froze. Could he have called me here because he thinks it's me? "You don't think it's me do you?" I asked, my eyes wide and my back stiff.

He rolled his eyes, "No, Isabella Cullen," he raised an eyebrow at me. "I know it isn't you, you are my family. I know this, I was witness to it."

I took a breath and nodded.

He rolled his neck, "There's been shit going on. Daniel getting into the house, the guys in the woods, that detective showing up wherever you are, Johnny," he said the last part quietly. "Trust me, all of the pieces are falling together. I have been having the house and club swept for bugs every day. I have camera's everywhere," he narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, camera's – don't do anything with Ed you don't want seen, alright?"

My eyes widened and I felt heat in my face. Jasper started laughing. "Shut up," I groaned. "Edward and I are not exhibitionists."

Jasper shook his head and smiled. "I know, I just wanted to see your face." He took a deep breath and his face was serious again.

"Okay, I am here asking for your help. No one knows about this." He frowned, "I'm sure my father suspects, but he's testing me." He pursed his lips as he considered that thought. "I want you to take pictures whenever everyone is together. You are a photographer so no one will suspect. You can say it's for the wedding or something, I don't know. Mention to my mother that you want to do something for the rehearsal, I'm sure she'll play right into it and then no one will question it. If it is someone close to us, in our circle, I need to know. And I want you to watch, take notice of what people do and say. You are 'just a wife' as far as anyone is concerned. They don't know that Carlisle has already accepted you into the family, they don't know you are a Cullen regardless of marriage. No one will pay attention that you are around. No one will notice that you are listening."

We continued to eat and talk over ideas Jasper had to find the leak. Jasper settled the bill and stood to pull out my chair. He helped me with my coat,and I asked him quietly, "can I tell Edward? I don't feel right keeping this from him."

Jasper frowned,and then looked around the restaurant. He narrowed his eyes and then chuckled. He smoothed my coat down my arms and leaned into me and whispered, "the cop is here watching us." My hand grabbed his forearm tightly,but I controlled myself enough not to look over. "Yeah, tell Ed. Do it somewhere noisy where no one can hear. Before this," his eyes went to the detective quickly, "reaches him."

I nodded. "Is he taking pictures of us?" I asked quietly.

He shrugged. I kissed Jasper's cheek, "it might help weed the person out, thinking _this, us, _ is more than what it is. I will talk to Edward tonight."

Jasper took my hand and led me outside. I pulled out my phone and called Edward.

"Hey baby," he answered the phone and I smiled.

"Hi," I answered. "Are you still working, or can you take a break?"

"Ah, I should be done soon. Why what's up?"

"I was supposed to have dinner with Tanya tonight and I ran into Jas. I want to go dancing. Can you come out with me? Just for tonight?"

I could hear him talking to someone in the background. I couldn't make out the words but he was back on the phone in a second, "Where?"

"8fifty8?" I looked at Jasper, he nodded and pulled out his phone. I waived down the cab that slowed near us.

"Yeah," Edward said, he was distracted. "Okay, I'll meet you at home? Is Jasper going too?"

"Yes, he and Tanya will meet us at the apartment and we can all leave together."

"Okay, babe, I gotta go. See you in a little bit."

"Okay, I love you," I said sweetly.

"I'll show you later," he answered back and I hummed into the phone thinking about the ways he would show me.

As if he knew what was going through my mind, he laughed and said quietly, "be ready for me, Isabella," before hanging up.

My stomach tightened in anticipation. When I looked up, Jasper was looking at me with an amused expression. My face burned with embarrassment, I'd forgotten that he was standing there.

~~u~~

Tanya and I had been steadily drinking since we'd arrived,and we were feeling it. She and I were on the dance floor putting on a show for our men. I could feel Edward's eyes on me. I wore a short black skirt with a red silk off the shoulder top,and flirty red platform heels. I dressed for my husband. I wanted his eyes and thoughts on me.

I felt his hands on my waist and he was hard against my back. My shoes made me just tall enough to enjoy the feel of him. I raised a hand and tangled it in his hair.

We were moving together on the floor, low lights, thumping base, bodies everywhere around us. He leaned into me and kissed my shoulder. I stretched my neck allowing him more access to my skin.

"I need to talk to you," before I got too carried away.

He nodded and I turned in his arms. He wrapped himself around me giving me his ear. We continued to move as I revealed the tale Jasper had given me. I ended with Michael being at the restaurant,and Jasper and I playing up our dinner to look like more.

His hands flexed and moved throughout my story but in the end his hands were digging into my ass. I knew this would bother him, the idea of another man's hands on me. The thought that his brother's hands were on me. I pulled his hair forcing him to look at me.

When he did, I could see the fire in his green eyes. "I love you," I said to him. "I love only you. You are everything to me – my heart, my soul. I would die without you."

His eyes softened and he pulled me even tighter against him before kissing me. This kiss made my body burn, I felt the heat of it move through me, warming me, claiming me. Edward was claiming me, I was his.

He lifted me and wrapped an arm around my thighs. He carried me away from the dance floor. He didn't put me down until he reached the high table we'd been sitting at all night. He sat me on the stool and kissed me again before pulling away. He pushed himself between my legs and his hands ran up and down the top of my thighs. My head fell back at the feel of his rough skin on mine.

His lips trailed along my jaw and to the sweet spot behind my ear. "Tell me again," he said into my ear. It was throaty and rough and it made my stomach flutter.

"You're everything," I whispered into his ear, "I am yours."

His teeth grazed my neck before he sucked the skin between his lips. Oh my God, my eyes rolled back and I bit my lip to stop the moan that wanted to escape.

Someone cleared their throat and I opened my eyes. Emmett and Rosalie were standing behind Edward. I tried to smile but I was still feeling the effects of Edward's teeth on my skin,and Jasper's suspicions were fresh in my mind. I felt Edward stiffen slightly before he kissed my neck and looked me in the eye. We were on the same page, everyone is a suspect.

His thumb rubbed my neck where his teeth had been and he smirked at me. He moved backward slowly, closing my legs as he did. It was a very short skirt, after all. Then he took my hand before greeting his cousin and his girlfriend.

Emmett looked amused but Rosalie had an eyebrow raised at me. I smiled and raised an eyebrow of my own that said _what?._

Her look was not friendly and I wondered what had happened over the past couple of days that would make her angry with me. Well, if she knows about my dinner with Jasper, then two things are possible. – Either she saw us by chance or she has something to do with this leak. I have a feeling that things are about to get very interesting.

~~u~~u~~u~~

a/n: hello! I hope you are all having an amazing week so far. Thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading and making me use comma's.

Thanks so much to all of you who have reviewed! I love seeing the notes pop up in my email. You guys are amazing! And thanks for all of the recommendations that have been sent out. I appreciate each and every one of them.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I am working on the next one and will have it out as soon as I can.

;)


	25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own them...and thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading. =)

~~e~~

I can't believe this shit. Fucking Jasper, he pulls Bella, my wife, into this? Who the hell does he think he is? He can't trust me all of the sudden? Am I not his blood, his family?

Last night, I let it go. Bella told me what had happened at the restaurant. My brother planned this – to meet her and for them to be seen. I have no doubt about this. He never does anything without thinking it through.

And now I have Rosalie bothering my ass, telling me that my fiance is cheating on me with my brother. This is like a fucking snowball just waiting to gain enough momentum to roll through. My mother is going to be beside herself.

I was leaning on the railing of the balcony, bourbon in my hand, trying to figure out where this was going. Jasper should be here anytime and I need to calm myself before he gets here.

I rolled my neck and continued to watch the traffic below. Bella was at the gallery and wouldn't be back until six. It was three o'clock now. My phone buzzed and I pulled it from my pocket.

A text message with a picture of Jasper and Bella at the restaurant. I looked at it closely. I could see Bella's face, not Jasper's. He was turned away from her. His hands were on her arms, near her elbows and she had a tight grip on his forearm. Her face showed no emotion from this angle but I could see that her eyes wrinkled on the side, a sign that she was worried. Another picture message arrived, in this one she's kissing his cheek. I snap my phone shut and grip it in my hand.

I am glad she told me about this last night or I would be going out of my fucking mind right now. My brother would have a bullet in him for this betrayal. I breathed in to calm myself...the cool air and bourbon was doing nothing for me.

I looked at the text again, the number showed as unavailable. Rosalie called me earlier, the caller ID showed Emmett's number. She said she had taken his phone because she needed to let me know what Isabella was doing behind my back.

Why does she care what Bella does behind my back? I thought they were friends, she is a bridesmaid and she shops with Bella all the time. Why not approach her friend? Why come to me directly? She's never spoken to me before, always choosing to stand quietly next to Emmett.

My phone chirped, a text from Jasper saying he's at the door.

I walked inside and placed my drink on the bar before looking at the security monitor to make sure it was only Jasper. I opened the door and he walked passed me quickly.

I handed him my phone and he looked at the pictures. He shook his head and his eyes focused on the scene replaying in his head.

"I didn't notice anyone else there," he looked at the photo again and I watched him. "The cop is there," he pointed at the screen. Huh, I hadn't noticed that before with the jealousy and anger clouding my vision.

"What about Rosalie? Have you noticed her around lately?"

He was focused again. "Hmmm, yes, actually. She's been with Emmett a lot, at the club," he said as he refocused on me. "Why?"

"She called me earlier to tell me that you and Bella are sneaking around. She also gave Bella a weird vibe last night. Dirty looks or whatever the fuck women do."

"I didn't notice her last night," he thought quietly. "Isa and I have never gone out alone, ever. I called her at the office once, that day with Felix," I nodded in understanding. "Otherwise, I always talk to her at the house." He was pensive now, "We talked in Italy, but family surrounded us then too. We weren't close at that time. When did Rosalie change with her?"

I shrugged, "Bella said last night was the first time she'd felt the cold shoulder from her. Hell, Rose was covered for Bella when we were in St. Louis."

"Maybe she came across something in Isa's office? Or received a phone call, making her suspicious?"

"Call Emmett, we need to know what he knows," I said. "I'm too fucking tired to play games here. If Rose wants to be a bitch, that's on her. Ain't no skin off my back. I hardly talked to her before Bella anyway. But we'll need to figure something out for Emmett if we can't trust his girl."

I sounded callous, even to my own ears but I couldn't have cared less. Emmett is my cousin, but Bella is my wife and I'll be damned if Rosalie is going to cause problems with my wife and the family. She's nothing. Not a wife, not a sister, not a cousin – she has no say here. Jasper was on the phone for less than a minute.

"He's bringing food," he said. "Did the sweeper come?"

I nodded, "Yeah, around eleven. He said it was clean."

"Let's get to it then. We need a list. And I think we should look through some of Isa's pictures. She always has that damn camera on, maybe she caught something we didn't know we should be looking for."

I got up to call Bella.

The phone at the gallery rang, no answer. The voice mail kicked in and I hung up and called her cell phone. Voice mail. I called Paul's phone.

"Hello," he answered brusquely.

"Hey, why isn't Bella answering her phone?"

He blew out a breath. "It's probably at the gallery. Vinnie is there, I told him to grab all of her stuff."

"Is she okay? What the hell happened?"

"Hold on."

"Edward?" Bella's voice came over the line, and she sounded pissed.

"Bella, what happened? What's going on?"

"Idiots. Fucking idiot people you have all over the place," she growled into the phone – damn, she's starting to sound like me. Then I heard her say, _sorry Paulie, not you._

"Babe?"

"Someone walked into the gallery. He tripped that sensor you guys installed," I nodded even though she couldn't see me. We added a metal detector of sorts to the front doors.

"Well, as soon as the sound went off, that bald guy tackled him to the floor. I yelled at him to stop but he just kept hitting him. Everyone at the gallery witnessed it, Edward. My staff and clients," she said with a long sigh. "I closed the office and sent everyone home. Paul had people come in to clean up the mess. Jesus, Edward."

"Holy fucking..." I trailed off and then put the phone on speaker.

"Paul called Seth to come in and take a statement. We told him that the guy is unstable and that there is usually someone with him but the person went to the bathroom. The detective that came in with Seth took him into custody."

Jasper was on his phone, "Did he say what precinct, Isa?"

"I didn't ask. I'm sorry I was..." she trailed off. "Edward, he really hurt that guy. He was unconscious when he arrived at the hospital."

"Kate is on her way to the jail," Jasper said.

"Are you on your way here?" She asked Paul where they were going.

"Ed, we're going to Isa's old apartment. We have someone on our tail."

My God, can't we catch a fucking break. "Okay, Baby I'll meet you there in about an hour. Paul stay with her please. We'll call Carlisle and let him know what is going on."

I looked over at Jasper, who was already on the phone. And then a knock on the door. I looked at the security screen and found Emmett and Rosalie. I closed my eyes, fucking family.

I opened the door and gave Emmett the _what the fuck _look. His eyes opened wide in surprise. I didn't bother to look at Rosalie. Bitch probably knew we were going to ask about her and tagged along. I love my cousin but he doesn't seem to have a backbone with this woman.

"Edward," Rosalie said. I laughed and shook my head but I didn't turn around.

"She speaks for him, too," I mumbled under my breath.

"Hey man, what's going on?" Emmett asked, and I could hear the agitation in his voice. I refilled my bourbon before looking at him.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" I asked him. I still hadn't looked at Rosalie but I could see her in my periphery and she was pissed. Good, maybe she'll speak out of turn and unknowingly tell me what I need to know.

"Whoa, what the hell? Jasper said to come over and bring food. He didn't say anything else."

I tilted my head and gave him a hard look. "Does Jasper have to specify why he needs you to bring food? And since when do you bring your girlfriend to a fucking meeting? If Jasper says, _Ed and I need you to come over and bring food_ – does he have to say _oh, and don't bring your girlfriend_? Is that how this shit works now? Because I must have missed the fucking memo."

Emmett's face turned red but he didn't speak.

"There's no need for you to be an asshole," Rosalie said,and Emmett stiffened.

I smiled and it must have been a little off because her face paled a little, but she tried to hide it. I walked up to her and Emmett moved as if to block me and I placed a hand on his chest. I gave him a look and said, "watch yourself." He stopped moving.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I asked her. "You come into my house and tell _me_ not to be an asshole. This is my fucking house! I can act and speak any goddamned way I want!" I yelled. I had to give her credit because she didn't even flinch, even if her eyes did narrow a bit. "What the fuck are you doing here? Why the fuck are you around all the goddamned time?"

She didn't answer me, and I felt Jasper walk up behind me.

"What you lost the ability to speak all of the sudden? You come into my house without a hello or a how are you, calling me an asshole,but you can't answer a direct question?"

Again, she was quiet. I stepped back slightly and looked her over, she was trembling and clenching her hands into fists. I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head toward her slightly indicating I hadn't heard her answer.

Then I looked over at Emmett. His jaw was clenched tightly and the muscles in his chest and arms were jumping. "Do you have an answer?"

I could see his anger but also the fear under the surface.

"Why is she around all of the fucking time?" My voice was growing louder. "She's at the fucking club with you, she's at family functions, she's in my house uninvited..." I trailed off.

"She and Isabella are friends, I..." he trailed off. "I don't understand what is going on here. Isabella is with you all of the time," he said petulantly.

I laughed and turned to Jasper. "Jasper?" I asked. He is second in command. Emmett is going to be relearning that fact right about now.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and stood slightly in front of me.

"Is this about Isabella?" Jasper asked looking back and forth between them. "Because, I don't see her here right now." He tilted his head toward me slightly, "Ed, where's Isabella right now?"

"With Paul, on the way home from work."

"Is she coming here?" he asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"She has no place here at the moment," little did they fucking know.

"That's right. Isabella doesn't go to the club either, why is that?"

"It's where we do business. And it's disrespectful to her."

"I have to agree with my brother," Jasper said quietly while looking at Emmett. "It is disrespectful to take your future wife to a strip club while you are off doing 'business'." He emphasized the word business, exaggerating that the word had a lot of different meanings. And also letting Emmett know that he knows _everything _that goes on in his club.

Emmett swallowed, and Rosalie glanced at him quickly before turning back to Jasper.

"So, Rosalie," Jasper said with a chuckle. "What exactly are you doing following Emmett around all of the time? Are you interesting in becoming a stripper? Looking for some advice from the girls?"

Her eyes widened and then turned to ice. But she smartly held her tongue.

Emmett finally couldn't take it anymore, "Jasper, I don't know what the hell is going on, but don't speak to her that way."

"Emmett," Jasper said jovially and shook his head. "You do not tell me what to do," his voice turned icy and his glare was aimed straight at Emmett. "Are you a part of this family?"

Emmett looked shocked by this question. "You know I am."

"Have you been around long enough to know that we don't bring outsiders into our sanctuary?"

Emmett nodded.

"So, I will ask again. What is she doing here?"

"Jasper, Edward. I honestly didn't think it would be a problem. I just assumed Isa would be here."

Jasper turned back to Rosalie, "why would you want to hang out with Isabella? You didn't seem to care too much about her last night? Or this morning when you called Edward to tell him his fiance was cheating on him with his brother."

Emmett's entire body went still. "What? You did what?" He asked Rosalie.

Rosalie was biting her bottom lip and looking at her feet. Huh, at least she had the grace to look guilty.

"You may want to answer him, sweetheart," I told her.

She cleared her throat and looked at Emmett, "I used your phone to call Edward this morning."

"Shit," Emmett said under his breath. His body slumped slightly and I could see the wheels turning in his head. "Edward, Jasper, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I saw Jasper and Isabella at the Chicago Firehouse last night," she continued speaking as if Emmett hadn't said a word.

I kept my face in a stone mask, not wanting to give anything away.

"And? She _is_ going to be my sister-in-law. Why does the fact that the two of us were having dinner equal an affair?"

"I saw her kiss you," she said.

My eyes shot open and I turned to my brother who had just started laughing.

"Oh," he said in between his laughter. "Right, I forgot about that. Ed, I should confess," he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Your fiance kissed my cheek after dinner. It was very scandalous, very 1954."

"That's not..." Rosalie trailed off.

"That's not what?" Jasper asked her, the tone of his voice changed from friendly to serious. "Is that not what you saw? Because I was actually there – at dinner with Isabella. I think I know what the fuck happened while at dinner with my sister-in-law. And why the fuck do you care if she sleeps around? What the fuck does it matter to you?"

She glanced at me and then back to Jasper. Jasper looked over at me. "Why are you looking at him? Emmett?"

Emmett looked pissed. His face was red and his jaw was tight.

"Oh, hold the fucking phone," Jasper started laughing again. "Are you...no, no, no." He was laughing again. "Holy shit!" He yelled out loud obnoxiously. "Are you going to tell me you are pining after Edward? Is this part of your plan to steal him away?"

My eyes went wide, Rosalie flushed,and Emmett turned green and fucking Jasper was still laughing. "Goddamn this is some good shit right here."

"No, no!" Rosalie yelled. "I am not pining after Edward. Emmett, please? That isn't what this is about."

"Then what the fuck is it about, Rosalie. Because after hearing Jasper and Edward speak, I'm starting to wonder what the fuck is going on."

Her body sagged and her tough persona was gone. She looked up and met each of our eyes, one at a time before saying, "Alice called me."

~~bella~~

Walking around in my old apartment was very...weird. I hadn't been here in weeks. Paul uncovered the furniture and ordered us some takeout before retreating into the guest room he'd occupied when I lived here. I took a deep breath and then walked into my bedroom.

Edward had replaced the living room furniture, but that was about it. My closet still held all of my clothes, my bathroom still held all of my soaps and creams. But I felt awkward here, like I didn't belong. This place wasn't me anymore.

Edward brought out a completely different side of me, a warm, happy, loving side that I hadn't even thought was possible in my old life. I sighed and looked down at my rumpled outfit. A bubble bath sounded amazing right now.

I started the water and then walked out of the bathroom to shut and lock the bedroom door. I grabbed a towel out of the cabinet and frowned, Edward must have people come in to clean the apartment. It made me uneasy to think someone else had been here while we weren't. The what-if's were being logged in my mental notebook.

I took a deep breath and before stripping and stepping into the bathtub. The hot water and lilac scent instantly relaxing me. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

My mind was still in overdrive from this afternoon. The first thought I had was the photographs I'd taken today, I cannot believe that bodyguardguy beat my customer unconscious. I'd had a camera in my hand when I heard the alarm go off, I walked out into the lobby to find the gruesome scene playing out. I snapped some photos and then put my camera down so I could try to help somehow.

A hand on my shoulder, made me sit up in alarm. I covered myself with my arms and looked up to find Edward staring down at me with a surprised expression.

"Edward," I groaned.

"Hey, are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you, but you were dozing off in here."

I nodded and sank back into the water, trying to calm down.

"What time is it?"

"Almost eleven, there's food out there..." he trailed off.

I stood up and Edward wrapped the towel around me. I took my hair out of the clip, letting the limp curls fall down my back.

Edward pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly before placing a soft kiss on my lips. "My parents and Jasper are here," he said quietly.

I slumped, I didn't really want to talk to anyone. But I knew it was inevitable with what happened earlier. So I gave my husband a small smile and nodded. I loved calling him my husband, even if it was only in my head.

He kissed me once more before walking out.

I slipped into a pair of yoga pants, a tank top and an oversized sweater before walking into the living 'sfamily was sitting in the dining room serving up food.

Esme smiled when she saw me and gave me a hug. "Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

I shook my head, and walked over to Carlisle and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting next to Edward and grabbing a glass of wine.

"Okay, Isa. Tell us what happened today," Carlisle said as he took a bite of his food.

I twirled my wine and shook my head. "The bald guy that has been following Paul around was in the lobby. A lot of people happened to be at the gallery today but one guy apparently tripped the motion sensor or metal detector, whatever it is. Instead of just pulling the guy off to the side, the bald guy jumps on him and knocks him down. He was yelling in Italian, but I only caught the tail end of it so I don't really know what he was saying."

"Who was yelling in Italian?" Carlisle asked, his fork in his hand just above his plate.

I thought about it and looked at him in surprise, "both of them were."

Holy shit.

"Isa, who called the cops?" Jasper asked.

I shook my head, "I don't know. Probably a client? All I know is Paul called Seth while we watched." I frowned trying to look back for any small details. "Ah! I have pictures. I can't believe..." I trailed off. What the hell is wrong with me? How could I have forgotten to have them ready?

I picked up my bag and pulled out my laptop, placing it in front of Carlisle. I connected my camera and imported the photos so they could see them on the larger screen. The first shot was a blurry photos of an arm with a fist smashing into a face. I scrunched my nose. The skin on his face was all pushed upward toward his eyes, hair flying with the impact of the punch. The next shot was of the intruder, his face distorted in rage. I actually stepped back from the laptop. The frozen anger on his face was frightening.

And then Jasper started laughing and we all turned to look at him. I turned to Edward who was smiling and shaking his head.

I looked at Carlisle, and his face was still on the computer screen.

"Jasper, set up a meeting with Alec Aro. I think we have some things to discuss."

Esme walked out of the kitchen then, and I frowned. I hadn't noticed that she'd walked out of the room. And just like that, everyone was eating again. Sometimes I felt like I was in an alternate universe. The men talked about football,and Esme talked about the upcoming wedding and things were back to normal. Is normal really the right word? I don't think I know what that is anymore.

"So Isa, Tanya is planning a Halloween party," Jasper said before stuffing more food in his mouth.

"Oh yeah? On Halloween?" I asked.

He nodded and continued eating. "She wants to set up a photo booth. Do you know anything about those?"

"What,like the kind at the mall? Or a booth where a real person takes the picture?"

"Nah, the mall kind. She rented out some warehouse and she wants to set up a couple of them."

I nodded, "I'll check. I'll call Tanya tomorrow. She didn't leave much time to plan, did she?"

Jasper flashed me a bright smile.

"Oh Isa, I think I might have something at the house with information on those booths. I'll look when we get home," Esme said as her eyes narrowed. Probably running through the catalog of the wedding information she has at the house.

"Thanks," I flashed her a bright smile just before her eyes narrowed in on Jasper.

"Who is Tanya?"

Jasper almost choked on his food and Edward let out a loud guffaw. Carlisle simply looked at his son in amusement. I quietly grabbed my camera from next to Edward and snapped a picture. Jasper's eyes narrowed at me and I raised an eyebrow and snapped another picture before turning it on Edward. He leaned in and kissed me before taking the camera away.

"Ma, she's Isa's friend. She is the manager at the place Ed and Isa are having the wedding reception."

He looked pretty impressed with his quick response. I chuckled and shook my head before looking over at Esme who looked like she was just getting started.

"Isa's friend, huh? So then how come you know about this party and Isa doesn't? Hmm?" Esme asked. "If she's Isa's friend, shouldn't she be talking to her about photo booths and what not? What are you keeping from me Jasper? How long have you known this girl? Are you dating? How come your father and I have not met her? Are you being safe?"

Jasper dropped his head in his hands and I was working really hard not to laugh out loud. Edward continued eating but leaned in and placed a kiss on my cheek when he looked over at me. The look on his face said _thank God it's not me._

Esme hadn't stopped talking yet and I could tell she was going in for the kill and I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting. I needed to take lessons from this woman when Edward and I started having children.

"Jasper, you're my eldest son. When are you going to find a nice girl like Edward did and get married? I'm not getting any younger here, Jasper, e voglio un sacco di bei nipoti che sembrano proprio come il mio bel ragazzo." _(and I want lots of beautiful grandchildren that look just like my beautiful boy)_

"Oh Ma, come on," Jasper started,but Esme Cullen was not going to be interrupted.

"Don't you _come on _me, Jasper Santo Cullen. I want to meet this Tanya at Sunday brunch."

And that was the end of it. Jasper's face paled and he looked over at his father who hadn't stopped eating. When Jasper turned to Edward, Carlisle flashed me a quick smile and a wink. And that set me off. I let out a loud guffaw and tried to cover my mouth to hold it in. But Jasper's angry face had me laughing out loud again and burying my face in Edward's bicep.

"Esme," I said in between laughing, "you need to teach me how to do that. That was awesome."

Esme gave me a big smile and a wink and that set off Carlisle and Edward. Jasper tried to look angry on his side of the table, but the grin just under the surface broke free. He let out a loud breath and shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Just wait until she starts harassing you guys about kids. Then it will be my turn to laugh," he gave me a smug smile and dug into his food again.

I smiled at him and glanced at Edward, little did everyone know that Edward and I were already working on that.

~~u~~U~~u~~U~~u~~U~~u~~U~~

A/n: Hello everyone! Thanks so much for all of the reviews! I love reading them! You guys are great and I love the guesses on what's going to happen next. I apologize if I didn't reply to your review. It is difficult to reply from my phone and home was pretty hectic this past week.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you guys think!

See you soon, RR244 =)


	26. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~bella~~

Tanya and I were having lunch and discussing the Halloween party that would be happening in two weeks. Not much time, but things seemed to be coming together well enough. We had booked a few photo booths and hired someone to decorate. There would be finger foods and a full bar. The warehouse Tanya rented was surprisingly owned by Edward, so we luckily didn't have too many restrictions as to what we could do. Edward had already told us not to worry about the cost.

So everything was pretty much set. There wasn't really a theme to the party, but I was thinking Edward and I could dress up as an elegant couple from the past**,,** like John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy-Onassis – it would be fun to dress up and do my hair and Edward can't go wrong in a suit. Besides, I pretty much knew he would refuse to wear an actual costume. A suit is my best bet. And I think I could get him to let me style his hair.

After lunch, Tanya and I headed toward Michigan Avenue to stroll the shops. We stopped at Bloomingdalesbecause Tanya wanted to pick up some perfume and I wandered through the store as she strolled the make up and perfume counters. As I walked, loud laughter caught my attention. I looked up to find Alice and Gianna laughing and talking in the store directly across from where we were.

To say I was taken by surprise would have been an understatement. I pulled out my telephone and quickly snapped a few pictures before making my way back to Tanya. As I walked, I sent the picture to Edward with a quick note of where we were.

My mind was running wild with reasons for Alice's appearance and what she was doing with Gianna? Did Demetri really send her away? Or had she somehow convinced him that he could trust her? If she was here, did that mean Felix and Alec were alsoclose? What about the FBI? I felt my panic building andsuddenly began to feellightheaded, making me reach out to grab onto the counters to hold myself up.

I felt hands on my arms, "Isabella, are you okay? What happened?" Tanya asked me.

I shook my head. "We need to go," I took a deep breath and squeezed the hand that held my arm.

She started to speak but her phone rang, "Hello?"

She looked over at me with concern, "Yes, we're together but Isabella isn't well, Jasper. We were just on our way out."

She was quiet for a moment, "Okay. See you soon."

"He wants us to go to your place. Edward is going to meet us there."

I nodded and we walked out of the store. Tanya hailed a cab and I closed my eyes as the car took us to my apartment. The panic was still there knowing that if Alice was in Chicago, the Aros were close by. This left no doubt that they are planning something.

I immediately started to worry about Edward and Jasper. One of their cousins had already died because of the Aros, and my first concern was always Edward. Nausea rolled through me and I breathed deeply through my nose trying to calm myself.

What if Demetri was playing both sides? Or worse, what if he was working against us. And was it possible that Rosalie played into this as well? I mean, she _is_ Alice's friend and according to Edward, Rosalie was sure that Alice was carrying Jasper's child.

I thought back to my conversation with Edward the night before.

_He came into the apartment and slammed the door. I walked out of the kitchen to find him pacing the living room. _

"_Edward," I called out to him. _

_He placed a finger to his lips, silently telling me not to speak. He leaned in and kissed me quickly before pulling me outside onto the balcony. _

"_Baby, what's going on?" I asked._

"_Jasper and I just talked to Emmett and Rosalie." _

_My eyebrows shot up and I wanted to ask him what happened, but I bit my tongue not wanting to interrupt him in his agitated state._

"_Rosalie," he said angrily, "said Alice told her she is carrying Jasper's child." _

_I covered my mouth and sat on one of the chairs. _

"_Apparently, Jasper is in love with you and he sent Alice away because he didn't want her to ruin his plans to win you over. She made up this elaborate story using the pregnancy to suck Rosalie right in. Rosalie said when Alice called her she was hysterical but told her she would be okay. And she planned to win Jasper back. She fed Rosalie suspicions about you and Jasper having an affair. And of course, that very night Rosalie sees the two of you at the restaurant."_

_Edward was talking quickly and quietly, but he was already focusing on something else. I tried to wrap my mind around what he was saying. _

"_Rosalie has been talking to Alice all of this time, she was hanging around the club with Emmett because Alice was feeding her bullshit stories and asking her to check up on Jasper, asking her to make sure he wasn't doing anything to 'betray' her and the baby." He snorted and shook his head, grumbling about idiots and babies. I couldn't make out what he was saying._

"_What about Emmett? Where does he stand?" I asked, grabbing Edward's hand as he made to move past me again. _

"_He was really quiet the whole time and pissed by the end of it. He said he didn't know that Rose __was talking to Alice, and he didn't think anything about her tagging along to the club because he trusted her, but we will need to discuss it further with Carlisle. Whatever Rosalie has relayed to __Alice could certainly make us vulnerable to the Aros."_

The cab pulled up to the apartment building and Tanya slipped money into the slot before climbing out of the car. We walked inside and found Paul waiting for us in the lobby.

He kissed us both on the cheek, "they should be here soon."

We were all quiet as we rode the elevator up to my floor. When the door opened, Mike Newton was waiting on the other side.

"Hey, Bella! How are you?"

I walked past him without a word.

"It's so good to see you," he called out and I could tell he was following us. Paul had already pulled out his phone and Tanya quickened her step to keep up with me.

"Come on, Isabella, don't be this way. Can't you spare a second for an old friend?"

I continued walking, anxiety rolling through me. I took my keys out of my pocket as we approached the door. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I dropped my keys. I turned quickly, finding Tanya pushing Mike away from me.

"I think she made it very clear she doesn't want to speak with you. Why don't you go harass someone else?" she said loudly.

There was a couple walking down the hallway, they looked at us wearily. "Is everything all right here?" the man asked.

"Yes, sir. I've already called security to remove this man from the premises," Paul said with a smile.

Mike looked at him with a cocky smile and turned to say something to the gentleman that was now standing near me. The elevators dinged at the end of the hall and I heard steps come toward us.

"Isabella, baby, are you okay?" Edward called out. I turned to him with a frown. What the hell?

There were security guards following him that I recognized. Edward winked at me and pulled me into his arms.

"Sir, thank you so much for stopping. This man has been harassing my fiance."

"Well," he said before giving Newton a sharp look, "if you need me to make a statement..." he trailed off and pulled out his wallet. He tookout a business card and handed it to Edward. "I'll be more than happy."

"Thank you, I don't think it will come to that, but it's very kind of you," I answered with a soft smile.

He smiled at me gently and his wife squeezed my hand before they walked away.

"Let's go mister. You don't live here so you gotta go."

Mike shook his head and chuckled. "See you guys later," he called,as he made his way toward the elevator.

Paul handed Edward my keys and we finally made it inside.

~~edward~~

Smarmy bastard.

Bella excused herself to go to the bathroom but hadn't come back yet. I walked toward the bedroom to find her.

She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub with a washcloth pressed over her eyes.

"Hey," I called out to her. She gave me a small smile before her lips trembled.

"Hey, hey, what's this?"

She shook her head, "just too much going on in my head."

"Sweetheart, I don't know how to deal with tears. Help me out here, huh?" I said, as I rubbed my hands up and down her back.

She gave me a small smile. "You seem to be doing okay," she whispered.

"It's going to be okay, don't worry. Jasper called and said Carlisle was already aware of Alice being in town. He's meeting with Jasper and Demetri right now."

"What about Michael? He just appears all of the sudden? And the Aros, if Alice is here..." her voice was rising and I could sense the anxiety building in her so I covered her mouth with mine. Kissing her softly, then nipping at her bottom lip so that I could tangle my tongue with hers. She always tasted so...good. I don't know what it was about her, but I could never get enough.

I squeezed her hips and eased away from her, "better?'

She giggled and nodded.

"Okay, let's get out there. Tanya's worried about you."

She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She combed her fingers through her hair and touched her lips before looking at me in the mirror and smiling.

"I love you," she said quietly.

I smiled and leaned in to kiss her neck, not breaking eye contact with her, "ti amo, Isabella."

~~u~~

Fuck, I was nervous. I looked at my watch again and rolled my neck. I knew this would work. I knew it would, but it was going to piss me the fuck off in the meantime. What the fuck was I thinking going along with this?

I paced inside of the men's bathroom trying to work up the nerve to go out there. I leaned against the sink and stared at my reflection. I breathed deeply and turned my mindset onto the task at hand. Alice, Demetri, Gianna, Aros.

Once I felt the shift in my demeanor, I stood and straightened my tie and smoothed my hair. Game time.

I walked out into the lobby of the hotel and made my way to the leather chairs in the seating area. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Demetri and Jasper letting them know I was here. I read through a few emails and waited.

The plan was that I was going to meet Demetri for lunch. He had 'forgotten' that he had promised Gianna and Alice that he would take them out today. So when he showed, it would be with Alice and Gianna in tow. I would be surprised at Alice's appearance, but we would sit down for lunch at the restaurant. Then Jasper and Bella would walk in and all hell would break loose.

There are people set up around the restaurant and Bella has a few photographers here on the guise that they are taking test shots of the location for a client. We're hoping they will start shooting away when the dramabegins.

I'm pretty sure this will get the ball rolling as far as the Aros are concerned. Alice will relay the story – surprisingly similar to her own, and then Alec and Felix will feel like they have a window of opportunity.

I just hope it works and we can draw those assholes out of hiding. I chuckled thinking back to Bella's comment earlier.

"_I feel like we are on one of those reality shows. A love triangle, pregnant woman scorned and best friends caught up in the mix. It's pretty scandalous."_

"Edward!" I looked up to see Demetri, Gianna and Alice. I smiled and then stopped at Alice's face. She was very pale and did not make eye contact with me.

"D?" I asked before leaning in to kiss Gianna's cheek. "Gianna, si guarda più bella ogni volta che ti vedo." (Gianna, you look more beautiful every time I see you.)

I looked over at Alice and frowned. "Alice Whitlock, I'm surprised to see you here," I said, and then gave Demetri a what the fuck look.

"Ed, I'm sorry. I promised the girls I would take them to lunch today. I completely forgot we had plans."

I gave him a sharp nod, "we'll talk later. Let's have lunch, I'm starving."

"Edoardo," Gianna said quietly, "I'm sorry if we are intruding."

I shook my head and smiled before wrapping her arm around mine, "of course not. It's my pleasure to have lunch with such a beautiful woman."

She laughed and I led her toward the restaurant. We were talking quietly as we ordered and waited for our food. My leg was shaking restlessly under the table and Demetri gave me a look, telling me to calm the fuck down.

I nodded and took a drink of my beer before looking toward the entrance of the restaurant. Just as I looked up, Jasper and Bella walked in. He was holding her hand and she was laughing at whatever he was saying.

My vision turned red. Fuck the fact that I knew this was going to happen and we had all planned it, seeing Bella with another man made my blood boil.

I could hear someone calling my name but my focus was on the couple being led through the restaurant. Jasper leaned in and whispered in Bella's ear, in a very intimate gesture. I swallowed thickly and closed my eyes. As I reopened them, Bella was staring at me with wide eyes.

She had stopped walking and Jasper tugged on her hand, before turning to see what she was looking at. When he saw all of us at the table he cursed quietly and then pulled Bella more firmly, urging her to follow him.

She looked at him and then moved to follow. I stood and Demetri called my name, "Ed."

I looked over at him and his eyes widened at my expression. I'm sure I looked like I had just been punched in the gut.

I looked over at Alice and her eyes were wide, her mouth open in surprise. Her gaze was still on the couple being seated across the room from us.

"Ed, let's get out of here. This isn't the time or place."

"Fuck that. What the hell are they doing here together?" I looked over at Gianna and shook my head. "I'm sorry."

She had tears in her eyes, "I'm sure it isn't what it looks like."

Demetri had collected the check and paid it at some point. He gestured to Gianna and Alice to walk ahead of us, as his hand gripped my arm.

"Are you okay, man? You look like a fucking lunatic right now."

I shook my head and chuckled, thankful that he was reminding me what was going on here.

I could hear heels tapping quickly behind us and Demetri sped us up. We were in the lobby, almost at the exit when she called my name. 

"Edward," it almost sounded like a sob.

I spun around and sure enough there were tears in her eyes, "Edward, it isn't what you think."

"And what exactly am I thinking, Isabella?" I growled at her, closing the distance between us. "What am I thinking after seeing my _fiance_ walk into a restaurant hand in hand with my brother."

Her eyes shifted and looked behind me before giving me a slight nod, Alice was close enough to hear.

"Please, we are just having lunch. Nothing is going on between us, Edward."

"Well," I chuckled, "that's not exactly what it looks like. This is the second time you've been out with him. I let it go the first time, but this time, I saw you with my own eyes. I saw you."

Her eyes watered. My God, we were a mess. I am fucking losing it knowing that this isn't real and she's crying just thinking about the fact that she hurt me.

"I can't do this with you," I pulled away from her and started toward the exit.

"Edward," she cried but I threw up my hand and walked out. I kept walking down the street trying to calm myself down.

"Jesus," I groaned. What would I do if I ever found out she was actually cheating? I shook my head knowing that neither she nor the man she was with would survive that.

A car pulled up next to me and I laughed. "Mike Fucking Newton. What the fuck do you want?"

He stopped the car and jumped out, and began walking next to me. He didn't speak, but matched my pace. I started scanning the area wondering what the fuck was going on. And hoping someone in my family was following me. As we hit the corner, another car pulled up. Mike hit me with a kidney shot and the car door shot open. Mike pushed my head down before throwing me inside. The door slammed and the car sped off.

Fuck... Here we go.

~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u~~~u

a/n: Hello! Thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading and correcting my hatred of commas...

Thanks so much for all of the reviews! I cannot believe I am at almost 500, it's truly amazing & I appreciate the time all of you take to read and send me notes. My apologies if I didn't respond to any of you.

I hope you liked the chapter, it's starting to get interesting...

see you soon, rr244


	27. Chapter 26 Part 1

_Disclaimer:I don't own them..._

_Thank you Sunflower3759 for pre-reading,_

~~bella~~

I waited for a few minutes after Edward walked out. I felt Jasper walk up behind me, "Are you okay?"

I nodded and turned to look at him. "That was really hard," I whispered, and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"Yeah," he ran his hands through his hair and looked up to find Gianna and Alice in front of us.

"Isabella?" Gianna asked, looking between Jasper and me. I shook my head.

"It's not..." I started but was cut off by Alice.

"It's not what it looks like? Right," she scoffed.

I narrowed my eyes, "what do you care what it looks like? No one asked for your opinion." Alice's eyes widened. "What the hell are you even doing here? The deal you made with Edward was to stay away."

Gianna looked at her, "You know, Edward? You said you didn't know him. Or any of the Cullen's."

Alice's face flushed pink. I walked away from them, not giving Alice a chance to respond, and headed outside. I could see Edward walking down the street with someone else. I squinted, is that Michael Newton? I started following them. Paul and Lorenzo were on the other side of the street and there were some guys sitting in cars along the boulevard.

When they reached the corner, I opened my mouth to call out to Edward, but several things happened all at once. A black car pulled up to the curb, Michael hit Edward and then pushed him into a car that sped off. I screamed, "NO!"

A couple of cars pulled away from the curb, tires squealing, followingthe black sedan. Michael turned around and started walking back,in my direction. When he noticed me, he smiled. The anger was building quickly. This asshole helped them take Edward. My Edward. Just as I was about to pull the tiny gun out of my purse and shoot him with it, Paul ran up behind him.

"Isabella," he called, my smile surprised him and his step faltered. Paul was behind him now with a sucker punch of his own. Mike doubled over and Paul dragged him to a car and pushed him inside.

Jasper was beside me now. He kissed my temple and squeezed my arm, "go with Demetri." And then he jumped into the car with Paul, Lorenzo and Michael. It couldn't have taken more than five minutes for all of this to happen but I felt like hours had passed.

I looked around and people were still moving, walking, driving. Did no one see what just happened? I felt like I was in slow motion, turning in circles, trying to find someone – anyone – that saw what I did.

Was all of this planned?

Paul's car was gone and I felt a tug on my hand. I turned to see Gianna, Alice and Demetri waiting. Gianna's hand was extended to me and I took it but not before seeing the smug look on Alice's face.

My eyes narrowed and I quickly walked toward her, not stopping until I was in her face.

"Wipe that smirk off of your face, you deceitful bitch. You think you're so clever don't you? You think you know what's happening here?" Her face slackened a bit, but she covered it up quickly. I smiled.

Demetri grabbed her purse, taking her phone and pulling it apart, before tossing it into the street, where a car was nice enough to run over it. Then he grabbed her wallet and tossed her purse into a nearby trash can.

"Hey!" she yelled.

"You may want to keep quiet, little girl. You wanted to swim with the big fish, right? Well, here you are," I said in a sing song voice, throwing my hands in the air. "What will you do now? How will you contact the Aros? Or the FBI, is it? Will anyone even care where you are?" I asked quietly.

"And what about your baby? Are you so self motivated that you couldn't stay away, even to keep your child safe? Do you really think you'll make it out of this unscathed?" As I spoke, her hand went to her stomach and her face paled.

"You can't really think that Alec or Felix will want you now? All of this trouble you've caused," I said lightly. "Trying to turn brothers against each other, playing families against one another. And for what?" I asked, tilting my head. "You know," I chuckled, "you aren't going to survive this. You will not get to spend one day with your child. And not Felix, Alec or Jasper is going to save you."

She lifted her hand to slap me but I caught her wrist and twisted it.

"You don't want to do that," I was in her face and my voice was low, angry. "I don't give a shit if you're pregnant, I will beat your ass. And if the Aros don't take care of you after all of this is said and done, I will. You can count on that."

"Okay, let's take this somewhere else," Demetri said calmly, pulling me away from Alice.

A car pulled up and Demetri opened the passenger side door. He ushered Gianna, Alice and I into the back before he settled in the front seat.

~~jasper~~

We were speeding along, trying to keep up with the car in front of us. I was waiting as patiently as fucking possible for someone to tell me they had a read on Edward. I had two phones, one line to keep contact with Carlisle and the other tracking Edward's tag. Who would have known that Demetri's trackers would come in so handy.

"What the hell is going on? You know, I'm Chicago PD and I'm gonna have your asses arrested for assault and kidnapping!"

I looked at Lorenzo in the mirror who smiled**,,, **and then punched Newton in the face.

I looked back at my phone, feeling just a little happier than I was before.

"Jasper," Paul called out to me. "Demetri is taking everyone to the main house. He said no one is on his tail. All of the action seems to be with us."

I frowned. All of them were following us?

"Tell Gus to turn off at the next exit and head toward the water. And tell Victor to fall back and slow down. How many guys are ahead of us?" I asked

"There's two more cars up ahead."

What to do...if they have everyone tailing us, they are expecting something to go down. There is a cop in the car with me, most likely a Fedfollowing us, and who knows who is with Edward. I rolled my neck. I looked up and saw that we weren't far from one of the garages.

"Go to Ronnie's garage. We need to switch out cars."

"What about him?"

"Have Marco pull off and meet us. Marco can move him while we go after Ed."

He nodded and dodged across all thehighway lanes toward the off ramp. A car behind us did the same thing, swerving trying to make the exit but it missed the ramp.

As, we made our way toward Ronnie's, I looked at Newton in the back seat. "Enzo, cover his eyes."

Newton started to speak, but Enzo punched him in the face – again. I laughed. Enzo was having too much fun.

When Newton's face was covered, I nodded to Paul to head to the garage. When we pulled up, Marco was already there waiting. Paul, Lorenzo and I jumped out of the car and Marco and Enrico jumped in.

"Take him to the spot," I said.

Marco nodded and started the car. I liked Marco, he didn't feel the need to talk, but he had that _I kill guys in my spare time _kind of look. I wonder if he'd be willing to stay here with us when this is done.

"Okay, Paul, grab a car and let's go," I looked at the phone tracking Ed. Stevenson Expressway. I rolled my neck and walked into the shop. Paul had a set of keys and Lorenzo was holding a door open at the back of the garage. I shook hands with my uncle Ronnie and walked out.

Paul walked toward a silver Mercedes. "Seriously?" I called out to him.

"It was this or a red BMW, you tell me."

I shook my head, fuck. So much for inconspicuous. "Just make sure they don't fucking see us."

I looked back at the phone. I looked out of the window and tapped the phone against my lips. Where would they go along Stevenson Expressway. Would they go as far as the Tri-City Tollway? No, I don't think they'd leave the state. My gut tells me they are going somewhere close, they aren't going to actually _injure _Edward. They just want to show us that they _can. _But what's the point. And why are there so many tails.

I pulled up Google maps on my phone and itimmediately foundour current location. I searched along the route we were currently on, hoping something would catch my eye.

I moved the map and noticed a black spot. I pushed the button to zoom in on that area, Arie Crown Forest. I looked out of the passenger side window. It was starting to get dark out. Would they take him there? To the woods? The area would be fairly empty by now, with the temperature dropping.

"Hey, I think I know where they're going," I told Paul. "We need Emmett."

~~edward~~

Two cars swerved across the highway behind us. One of the cars had to belong to our family. That made me feel a little more at ease, someone was following me. It also made me nervous. If cars were moving that quickly off of the highway, that probably meant there were more cars following us.

I hope Demetri was able to get Bella and Gianna out of the restaurant.

I still had the gun on my ankle, my phone in my pocket, and the watch that was fitted with the chip Demetri installed. Our phones had trackers also, but it was only a matter of time before they took it from me. What fucking idiots, though. They threw me into the back seat of a car, alone, without checking me for weapons and taking my shit.

Amateurs.

As we traveled along the expressway, I thought of Bella and how her beautiful face crumbled when I walked away from her earlier. I sure as hell hope that is not the last time I see her. I can't stand to have that be the last image I have of her.

I want to see her on our wedding day, swollen with our child, glowing when she gives birth, laughing as she plays with our children, and flushed as we're making love. The images ran through my mind over and over as I made a plan of attack.

I know they have other cars tailing us, how many though, I'm not sure. There aretwo in the front seat of this car. I can easily take out one, but if I kill them now, I kill me too.

He started to pull off of the expressway and I looked at the exit. Fuck.

I took a deep breath and when the asshole driving looked at me in the mirror, I smiled. I was the picture of comfort, a leg resting on my knee as I leaned back comfortably in the seat. But inside, I was trying to figure out how I would get away from the car before the others pulled in.

Fuck, Jasper – I hope you're behind me somewhere.

We pulled into the entrance leading to the forest. It was empty, as I suspected. He drove for a few minutes before turning toward one of the parking lots at the base of a trail. As soon as he shifted the car into park, I pulled my gun and shot the passenger in the back of the head. When the driver turned to look over, his eyes were wide with shock. And when he looked back at me, I shot him between the eyes.

The car was still running. I leaned over the seat and grabbed what I could see. Two guns, two cell phones. I stuffed them in my pocket and jumped out of the car. I ran a little bit away before shooting at the gas tank.

I knew it would alert everyone to where I was, but I also couldn't leave evidence of two bodies and fingerprints in that car.

The car exploded with a loud BOOM and I turned and ran toward the trail closest to me.

I was running at a steady pace listening for any commotion behind me. But the only thing I could hear were the small explosions from the car. There must have been more weapons or ammo in the trunk. I went off of the trail after about a mile, and ran just inside the tree line.

I heard a loud boom and ducked automatically. I stopped for a second, listening once again. For footsteps, voices – anything. I was fucking scared to move and give away my location.

I'm in a fucking forest and the sun is almost completely gone. I pulled out my phone and looked at it, before looking around.

I unlocked it and made sure the volume was off before pulling up my recent contacts. My finger hovered over Jasper's name for a minute, not sure if I should make any noise. The woods are not my natural habitat and I was a little fucking worried about getting cornered.

I sent a quick text message, opting for the ability to stay quiet, and started running again. I kept looking to my side to make sure I was still following the trail. The sun was going down quickly and I needed to find somewhere to stop. I couldn't afford to get lost in the woods, or to have someone from the other side find me.

I was jogging at a steady clip when I saw a light up ahead of me. I stopped and ducked behind a tree. Shit. There was nothing. Nowhere to hide, the trees didn't even have enough leaves on them to cover me. Fuck.

I could hear the steps on the ground. But no one was talking. I can't just sit here. I looked over to where the trail was and tried to decide what direction to go. I didn't want to end up back where the car was and I couldn't just walk forward into the oncoming threat. Fuck it, I turned right and ran, crossing the trail and going farther into the woods.

I have four guns, a cell phone and a tracker on my watch. Good fucking luck to me.

**********unexpected********************************************

a/n: so...? I'm biting my nails, what do you think?

Let me just say, you guys are AMAZING! I went over 500 reviews this week. Thank you all so much for reading and taking the time to write me a quick note. I read all of them and I try to respond to every single one. Those of you who don't have your PM activated, I really enjoyed your reviews.


	28. Chapter 26 Part 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks Sunflower3759 for pre-reading, this one really needed it..._

~~bella~~

I couldn't stop moving. Edward was missing. Well, not really. They had all set this up and left me out of the loop. Carlisle said it needed to be believable, I needed to be a witness when the police showed up. And they did. And I was hysterical.

I should be embarrassed at my display earlier, but I'm not. My husband is missing. Oh yeah, and besides the fact that I am a complete mess over what happened earlier. I think Esme suspects that Edward and I are already married. I must have let something slip when I was ranting earlier. I'm pretty sure when I yelled at Carlisle, I called Edward my husband.

Well, the bright side is that Carlisle didn't shoot me when I yelled at him. He did put me in my place though, and muttered something about channeling Esme on a bad day.

I was standing in the living room now, staring out of the windows. It was dark out, and the temperature had dropped into the forties. When I last saw Edward, he was only wearing his suit. I hope he's indoors. I hope he's alive. Tears were forming in my eyes again and I took a deep breath. He is alive. And we'll find him. We have to find him.

The front door slams and I see Emmett run toward Carlisle's office. I follow him quickly wanting to know if he's heard anything.

He turns toward me when my heels hit the hardwood floor. His face is a mask of anger, but it softens when he sees me. He walks back toward me and wraps me in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, about everything, Isabella," he says, and pulls away to look me in the eye. "I didn't know."

I shake my head, "Don't worry about it. I trust you," I say, and look him straight in the eye.

"I'll bring him back to you. I promise."

I nod, and Emmett lead us into Carlisle's office.

"Emmett," Carlisle calls out, and then looks at me for a long moment. "Sit down," he nods toward the sofa. "Jasper just got a text from Edward."

The relief from that statement is too much. A huge sigh leaves me and tears trail down my cheeks. Emmett squeezes my hand and I take a deep breath to calm myself down.

"Emmett, we need your hunting skills. Go find Edward and bring him home. Take out anything that gets in your way."

He nods and stands, walking over to Carlisle. He slowly lowershis head before picking up Carlisle's hand and kissing his ring.

They spoke quietly for a moment, too quiet for me to hear, before Carlisle cupsEmmett's face. "Bring back my son," he said firmly, with a look that did not leave any room for failure.

Emmett's eyes say he understands and he leavesthe room quickly. Santo sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I lean my body against him, soaking in the comfort he was offering.

"Edoardo è un uomo intelligente, Isabella. Egli sarà bene. Devi avere fede, credere in lui. Fidatevi della vostra famiglia a prendersi cura di questo," he said quietly, as his hand ran up and down my arm, soothing me. _(Edward is a smart man, Isabella. He will be fine. You must have faith, believe in him. Trust your family to take care of this.)_

I didn't answer, I knew these things. But I wouldn't stop worrying until I could see him and feel him close to me.

I took another deep breath. "Thank you," I said quietly, before kissing his cheek. I made my way over to Carlisle, hugging him before excusing myself.

I closed the door as I stepped out of the office, leaning against it. I need to calm myself, I had already cried too much today. I need to be strong, I need to be the wife Edward expects me to be. I can break down when this is over.

I heard a hushed conversation down the hall from me. I tilted my head toward the voice, trying to figure out who it was. Slipping off my shoes, I slowly made my way toward the end of the hallway. Imagine my surprise when I find Alice on the phone. I pull out my phone and text Carlisle, hoping he would be able to listen in on the call.

"What the hell do you mean you can't come get me? What am I supposed to do here?" she whispered harshly.

She shook her head and covered her mouth with one hand. If she wasn't an evil, backstabbing whore, I would feel sorry for her.

"I can't stay here. I can't...what am..." she sobbed. "Please, please."

She had a hand bracing herself on the wall, "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't mean to come back, but Antonio found me. He found me in Ireland. What was I supposed to do? So I lied, so he wouldn't kill me," she was sobbing again. "My whole life is a fucking lie."

The other person must have disconnected because she quietly cradled the receiver. I stood around the corner, out of sight, allowing her time to collect herself. I was hoping her emotions would work to my benefit.

I slipped my shoes back on, stepping lightly onto the runner that covered the floor. As I turned the corner, my shoe hit the hardwood and I cleared my throat. "What the hell do you think your doing?" I growled at her.

She jumped and turned toward me with a glare. "What the fuck do you care? What are you creeping around hallways now?"

"I don't have to creep anywhere in this house, unlike some people. Were you using the phone?" I laughed, "Oh my God, you don't fucking learn do you? No one is coming for you! Get it through your head. Felix and Alec are not going to risk everything for you. It isn't only you at stake here, don't you get that? Both families are at risk here! Edward is gone because of your fucking games!" I screamed at her.

"Don't fucking put that on me, Isabella!" she screamed right back.

"He gave you a chance, the benefit of the doubt! He spared your child! And what did you do? You walk right back into the middle of it putting not only yourself in danger, but alsoEdward. Then," I laugh roughly, "you spread lies about Jasper and me, turning Rosalie against all of us. Did you even think about all of the damage you were doing to the relationships around you? You're so fucking selfish!"

"I thought it would save me! Okay? I thought it would save me!" She fell to the floor sobbing. "I was in Ireland, that is where Edward sent me. I was living with a family and minding my own business. Imagine my surprise when Antonio Aro shows up at the door of a farm in the middle of fucking nowhere, thanking them for caring for me. I thought Edward betrayed me! I figured he washed his hands of me and then turned me over to Antonio to clear his own conscious for killing a pregnant woman."

She straightened herself up and leaned her back against the wall, stretching her legs out in front of her.

"Since then, I don't know what I've been saying. I just told stories that I thought would help keep me alive long enough to escape. When Antonio sent me to Demetri and Gianna, I was so fucking confused and I thought for sure that I was dead. When Demetri didn't kill me right away, I involved Rosalie. I knew she would help me, because we've been friends for so long. So I made up the story because I needed to know where you guys were and what you were up to. Rosalie kept me informed, and I tried to plan my escape. I was planning to leave, to disappear. But today's lunch changed all of that."

She deflated into her seat. "So there you have it, I'm a stupid woman who ran from one brother to the next, got pregnant, caught up in Felix's crazy because he thought I was with Jasper, got shipped off to Ireland and then shipped right back," she blew out a heavy breath. "Look, I know my actions have caused a lot of trouble. But you are right, I am selfish. The only thing I care about is taking care of my baby and being around long enough to see him or her grow up," she shrugged. "I won't apologize for that. I'm sorry everyone else got caught in the crossfire, but I would do it all again if it keeps my child safe."

I stared at her, fucking bitch. She is making me sympathetic to her. What the fuck?

A movement down the hall catches my attention. A door opens and shuts with a click, and the person moves down the hallway, slowly checking doorways as he moves.

I duck next to Alice quickly and place a finger to my mouth, silently telling her to keep quiet. The guycontinueswalking toward us, he is wearing all black and with a beanie covering his head. I heard footsteps coming up behind me and I held my hand out.

I lean over and look up to find Carlisle with a raised eyebrow. I point down the hallway and he sees the guy walking toward us.

Carlisle pulls out his gun and shoots.

~~edward~~

I've been jogging steadily, stopping only to check the phone's GPS. I haven't heard anyone else in awhile but I could hear random gunshots in the distance. The fact that the shots weren't close to me, made me hopeful that I could run to the edge of the forest and get out of here. But I was a little curious that I hadn't heard any police cars or firetrucks.

There was a clearing up ahead, a single streetlamp in what is probably a parking area. Islowdown and look around quickly. Unable to fucking see anything clearly, because thesun has already gone down. I stop inside the treeline.

Gunshots echo around me and I crouch down, having no idea where they came from. It was too hard to get my bearings here, everything looks the same.I check my gun and swallow. Fuck. I need to get out of here.

I stand up and prepare to step closer to the parking lot when a hand wraps around my shoulders and a gloved hand covers my mouth. The panic that wellsup inside of me was overwhelming. How could I be so fucking stupid not to look behind me? But I didn't even hear footsteps or movement.

My gun is already in my hand and I adjust it, I'm going to shoot this asshole in the foot.

"Hey, Ed!" I stiffen, what the hell?

The gloved hand releases my mouth and the arm holding me slackens. I elbow him in the stomach and turn quickly, gun to his chest.

My stomach drops out when I see Emmett standing in front of me with a big smile. His fucking dimples showing how happy he is with himself.

"Emmett!" I call his name in relief and then punch him again. "You scared the shit out me, you asshole."

I leanforward with my hands on my knees. The adrenaline rushing through my body was making me dizzy. Emmett's hand grasps my shoulder, "Easy."

"You alright, man?" he asks, quietly.

I nod and stand up straight. "How the hell did you find me? And how did you get ninja skills? I didn't even hear you walk up behind me."

He chuckled quietly, "My dad taught me how to hunt, you know that. It's the same whether you're hunting human or animal."

"Thank fuck for that," I laugh.

"Okay, so now what?"

"Well, you tell me. How'd you find me?"

He pulls out his phone, showing the tracker. I nod, "Where's everyone else?"

He shakes his head, "I don't know. Jasper texted Carlisle to let him know what was going on and then they sent me here to get you. I came across a couple of goons and took them out, but I don't know if there are any more in here."

"Alright, let's get the fuck out of here."

Emmett was leading the way through the trees when we heard voices. He held his hand up and I stop moving. I raise my gun and lookaround me. But the forest was dark around me.

Then shots started firing around us.

"Shit!" I call out. We both duck behind a tree and wait. Shots were still firing. I want to know who was shooting, what was going on, but I wasn't stupid enough to look around the tree.

The leaves were crunching closer to us, Emmett and I look at each other and nod. Emmett held up his hand, counting to three. We roll on the ground and begin to fire. I was shooting in a line to the left, while Emmett covered the right side.

"Motherfucker," one of them yelled out. I breathed out heavily, it didn't sound like someone we knew. We heard something drop heavily to the ground and then it was quiet.

"Who's out there?" Emmett called.

"Emmett?" someone calls back, it sounded like Paul.

"Yeah, who the fuck are you?"

A laugh and then movement toward us. A gunshot sounds before he calls out, "It's Paul, motherfucker." He was smiling as he walks up to us with Lorenzo flanking him. Emmett and I stand up, and I take a good luck at them.

"Damn," I said, "what the fuck happened to you guys?" I ask. They are both covered in dirt and leaves.

Paul smiles brightly, he loved getting dirty. "You know, a few fights, some exploding cars," he raises an eyebrow at me and then motions for a fist bump.

I laugh and hold out a fist. "Nice work, by the way."

We walked over to the bodies on the ground. There were three, and I could see one with a shot to the forehead. "Had to finish him off. The other wound wasn't fatal. I think some of these guys are cops. I've been snapping pictures with my phone so we can look at them later."

"Good thinking. Where's Jasper?"

"He's gone. He was going through the bodies, looking for information and then he got the confirmation that Emmett found you. I think Carlisle called him back to the house," he shrugged.

This was probably a distraction for someone to get into the house.

"Get outta here, we'll add these assholes to the bonfire," Paul said, and then nodded to Lorenzo. Paul snapped some pictures and then they picked the guys up and headed back the way they came.

Emmett led me back toward a side road and then to a car that was hidden in the shrubbery. Once we made it to the highway, I pulled out my phone.

I called Carlisle and didn't get an answer. So I called Jasper, "Hey, you with Emmett?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Good, get to the house," he said, before hanging up.

"Head to the house, Em."

He nods and then clears his throat. "Ed, look," he blew out a breath. "I'm sorry for all of that shit with Rosalie. I," he shakes his head. His fingers are gripping the steering wheel pretty fiercely. "I didn't know, I never thought she would pull some shit like that. I haven't talked to her since the night at your place."

He glances over at me, "I want you to know, that I am loyal to this family. To Carlisle, Jasper and you."

"I know, Emmett," I look at him, trying to convey this. "I trust you, but we were worried that we wouldn't be able to if you stayed with her." I roll my neck, "I'm not going to lie, we are concerned about her. She knows shit about the family, if she decides to talk..." I trailed off.

He nods, "I know. Fuck," he punches the dashboard. "I love her, you know. I do. But I know that she can do a lot of fucking damage."

We were quiet for awhile, I want to give him the time he needs to think. I want to call Bella, but it wasn't the time.

"Your dad, your parents, took me in after my family was killed. I was such a fucking mess and wanted to kill everyone in sight. You guys helped me survive. I won't ever be able to repay that," he said and looking me in the eye. "I am a part of this family."

I nod and claphim on the shoulder. "You're my brother, and I love you. We'll deal with Rosalie when we find out what the fuck is going on, alright?" I took a deep breath, "if it helps at all," I look over at him. "I can understand how you feel. If it was Bella and I in this situation, I don't know what the fuck I'd do."

I roll my neck, trying to clear my mind of those thoughts. I'd had enough of the negativity today. This whole fucking day has been a nightmare.

We pull up at the house to find all of the flood lights on, "Shit."

We both pull our guns and walk quickly around the house. There was an open window on the first floor.

Emmett and I climb through and look around. It was one of the spare bedrooms, nothing seemed to be out of place. Emmett closed the window and we cleared the room. Looking under the bed and in the closet and bathroom.

Emmett opens the door and I stand to the side, looking into the hallway. I walk out and Emmett follows behind me. As we were slowly making our way through the rooms, we heard a gunshot. We ran down the hall to find a guy on the floor and Carlisle walking toward us, gun in hand.

"Emmett, pick this guy up and take him downstairs. Edward," he walks up to me and cups my cheek in his hand. "I'm glad you're okay." He gives my cheek a pat and nods. "Go check the other rooms, make sure no one else is here."

I nod and turn to go back down the hallway. But before I could move someone slams into my side.

"Edward," Bella cried. "Oh my God, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried. I almost shot Michael Newton on the street."

I laughed, "Baby," I rock her side to side, and kiss her face. "I'm here, I'm okay."

"I love you, so much. I hated what happened this morning."

"Me too, I don't think I can do that again. I wanted to kill Jasper when I saw him lean in to whisper in your ear."

She laughed, "he was telling me where all of you were sitting." She sobers up and grabs my face, "I felt so horrible when I saw the look on your face. It was awful," she shakes her head.

I wiped the stray tear from her cheek, "never again, okay?"

She nods and pulls my face to hers to kiss me. Before we lose control, I pull away.

"Do you have your piece?" I asked her.

She nods and pulls it out.

"Let's finish sweeping the rooms and find out what the hell is going on around here."

She checks her gun and holds it in front of her with both hands.

I step behind her and pull her against me, "you are so fucking sexy. You have no idea what seeing you with a gun does to me."

She let out a shaky breath and rubs her ass against me, "I think I have an idea."

I groan and step away from her, "let's get this shit over with."

Bella laughs and pinches my ass, "let's do this."

**********unexpected********************************************

a/n: 2 chapters in one day! Absolutely unheard of, from me anyway. ;)

Ah! I totally forgot to mention that I now have a banner, thanks to the wonderful Elana86. Please check it out! I pasted the link in my profile.

Thanks again for pushing me over the 500 review mark. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think!

Until next time...


	29. Chapter 27

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks so much to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading._

~~jasper~~

Michael Newton has been a pain in my ass. But now he sits here, waiting for me.

Lorenzo has been working him over for a minute, I should probably step in – but I don't think I will. He has been following my sister all over town for months. Recording her conversations, he probably even has pictures of her. Fucking prick.

I roll my neck and prepare myself. I need to keep myself calm and collected, just long enough to get the information that I need.

I walk in as I'm lighting my cigarette. Huh, his eyes are almost swollen shut. I give a little shrug and tap Enzo on his shoulder, "Fare una pausa."(Take a break.)

"Michael Newton," his head shoots up and he looks in my direction. I wonder if he can actually see anything. "Or is it Mike? Michele, maybe?" (pronounced as mee-KEH-leh)

Michael started to move his head back and forth.

"Oh, come on. The games up Newton. The Chicago PD isn't going to save you now," I said laughing. "Hell, they won't even be able to identify you when we're done."

"Stava indossando un dispositivo di ascolto?" I asked, turning slightly to look at Enzo. (Was he wearing a listening device?)

Enzo shook his head in the negative. Too bad. I spun the chair sitting across from him and straddled it.

"Michael, perché hai aiutarli a prendere mio fratello?" (Why did you help them take my brother?)

No answer.

"You should know that he's alive," I said quietly, watching his face. "It took us less than two hours to...," I chuckled, "control the situation. Either way, my brother is home with his lovely bride to be, while you are here, with me."

His face showed surprise and his shoulders slumped as the realization kicked in. "All for nothing. Fucking sucks, right? Yeah," I took a long drag on my cigarette. "So you may as well tell me what I need to know."

He didn't speak, it made me smile. Maybe he was tougher than I thought. Let's find out.

I made my way towards him, looking over at Enzo. He was next to me quickly and I pushed the cigarette into Michael's face. "It's unfortunate that you have an open wound here."

He screamed. Enzo punched him.

"Ready yet?" I asked, "anything you feel like sharing?"

He was crying, and I walked in a circle around him. I looked at my cigarette and frowned, I went about pulling out a new one and lighting it, humming as the nicotine hit my lungs.

"What if I help you out? Give you a little hint? Will that help push this along? Because let me tell you, _Michael_, I can do this all night." Leaning into him, I whispered, "it's what I live for. It gets my blood moving, adrenaline pumping. And the screaming, dear God, it's almost better than fucking!" I laughed loudly causing him to jump.

"So, how about that hint..." I trailed off, watching him the whole time. His body was vibrating with fear, and the cold probably. He was only in boxers and socks. "Peter is your cousin, right?"

Michael gasped—in surprise, I'm guessing. "By marriage, if I'm correct. He was my sister in law's cousin, also. He's related to a lot of fucking people, am I right?" I couldn't help but laugh. Kate's background check on Michael Newton was very informative. "Somehow, I don't think he will be welcomed into the family with the open arms he was hoping for. I mean a cop and a reporter, what the fuck, right?" I was laughing again.

Enzo walked over and punched Newton in the stomach.

"You can speak anytime," I prodded him. "I am all ears. I'll even help you out and tell you exactly what I need from you. I'm really interested in Peter's disappearance, Felix's arrival and your involvement. In that order," I stopped walking and stood directly in front of him. My cigarette was almost burned through, so I held the end of it to another wound on his face. He cried out loudly.

"I know everyone who is anyone in this city. It wasn't hard to find out who he was. Reporters, police officers, background checks, they all pay off. You would be interested to know what I found out about you," I said, laughing. "Who knew you were such a sick fuck?"

"Just kill me, just kill me," he was pleading.

Of course, this threw me into hysterics. "Man, haven't you been hanging out with the Aros? You know that isn't how this works. I can keep this up for days, weeks. You have no idea what I'm capable of," I said, quietly.

His head fell back. Huh, would he cave this early?

"I don't know where Peter is," he cried. "I owed Felix money and he came after me, but I had already left Washington. Somehow, he found out about Isabella and Peter. I don't know more than that. When Felix found me in Chicago, he forced me to start following Isabella and told me to cause problems for your family," he gulped air. "That's it. That's all I know."

Idiot.

I lifted my gun and shot him in the head. "Get the acid, take care of this." The clean up team was already in motion.

I blew out a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair. I'm so fucking tired.

My ringing cell phone interrupted my train of thought, "Yeah?"

"Jas, you need to get your ass to the house," Edward yelled into the phone. The background noise was loud, crazy. People were screaming and yelling.

"What the fuck is going on?" I asked, running toward my car. Paul was chasing me out of the warehouse.

"There was a fucking explosion, one of the cars parked in the drive blew up. It took out part of the garage. Everyone is freaking the fuck out. And we have someone here, came in through one of the downstairs windows. Security system was tampered with."

"Jesus..." I muttered, "we're on our way."

"FUCK!" I screamed, punching the dashboard. Paul was speeding through the streets, swerving through traffic.

I started dialing, getting voice mail after voice mail. Either everyone was at the house already, or there was a lot to be fucking worried about.

"Paul," I said, looking over at him, "have you talked to Demetri?"

He shook his head, and hit the accelerator.

~~edward~~

I kept swallowing, my throat was tight, but I couldn't let my emotions take over.

Bella was hanging on me, my mother was kneeling on the concrete in tears. "Nooooooooooooo," someone else was yelling, over and over. Me, I was in fucking shock. How the hell did this happen? Security has been tight. Tighter than ever, there are fucking cameras everywhere.

"Edward," my father called me, demanding my attention. His face was hard, a vein bulging on his forehead. I noticed my grandfather was walking toward me, he took Bella from my arms. She was looking at me, frantic, pleading.

"Baby, let Santo take care of you," I said softly, kissing her cheek. "I'm going to be right over here with Dad, okay? I'm not going far."

She whimpered, but wrapped her arms around my grandfather. I began walking toward my father.

"Did you speak to Jasper?" he asked, moving with me.

"He's on his way."

"The clean up guys are already in the basement. We need to deal with Alice," he raised an eyebrow.

I blew out a breath, nodding. "Do you think that's a good idea, right now?"

Jesus Christ, I stopped in the foyer, leaning against the wall. The severity of what just happened was finally seeping in.

My father's hand on my shoulder snapped me out of it. Fuck. We started moving again.

"She's in labor. Get the kid, take care of the girl."

My legs stopped working and my father kept going. "Shit."

Bella ran into the house, her face was red with anger. Her heels were tapping against the tile quickly.

"Alice!" she yelled, it echoed through the house. "Where the fuck are you?"

I went to her, grabbing her arms.

"Alice!" she yelled again. "I'm going to fucking kill her, Edward. That bitch..." she trailed off, crying. The sobs so fierce, her body doubled over.

"Hey," I said quietly, pulling her into my arms, "she's in labor, we need to deliver the baby."

"What?" she asked, fat tears running down her face. "She's having the baby? How is that fair?"

"Baby, it isn't up to us to decide. Let's take care of this, alright?"

She was taking in deep gasps of air, her body relaxing as much as she could.

Once she looked somewhat calm, I led her toward the back of the house. The bedroom at the end of the hall was brightly lit. And we could hear Alice yelling.

We took our time walking toward the room, neither of us wanting to deal with this. It was too much, too fucking much.

"Please, help me. Help me!"

Alice was crying, screaming.

"What do we do?" I asked, looking at Bella.

She rolled her neck. "Get some water and a lot of towels. And some peroxide and scissors. Someone will need to take her to the hospital afterward, or she might bleed out."

Bella's voice was eerily quiet, scary. I took a second to look her in the eye, she nodded and pushed me toward the door. "Hurry."

I ran to the kitchen and pulled open cabinets. I found a big glass bowl. Placing it in the sink, I flipped on the hot water, filling up the bowl. I ran to the linen closet next, pulling out a huge stack of towels.

I walked as quickly as I could holding the towels and water. When I made it back to the room, Bella looked frantic.

"Edward, the baby," she cried.

I set the items on the dresser next to the bed, handing Bella a towel.

"Push, Alice! Fucking push," Bella yelled.

I was standing there watching, unable to fucking move. The image was nothing like I ever imagined. Jesus, a fucking person was coming out of that tiny space. I felt lightheaded.

"Fucking hell, Edward, sit down. I can't take care of you if you pass out."

My legs were moving but I don't know where the hell I was going. I hit a wall, and my body slid down slowly, until I was finally sitting. I was still watching the fucking delivery, it was like my eyes were refusing to look away. Shit, I'm going to throw up.

This baby was covered in blood and slimy shit, and it was sliding out of Alice and onto the towel Bella was holding. At some point, Bella had placed towels on the bed under Alice and had several in her hand.

The baby was finally all the way out and Bella was tapping the chest. She dipped a towel into the water and started to clean away all of the mucous and blood covering the baby's face.

And then there was a cry, strong and angry. Bella was leaning over the tiny creature, with its headresting in her hands. Looking from Bella to Alice, my vision blurred and then came back into focus.

_Get the kid, take care of the girl. _

Bella was looking at me, as if she knew.

_Get the kid, take care of the girl._

"Edward, I need scissors and peroxide."

I stood and walked into the adjoining bathroom, pulling out the items Bella needed.

Handing them to her, I went back into the bathroom, turning the knobs on the bathtub, feeling the heat on my wrist. I made my way to Alice, "I'm going to take you into the bathroom, sit you inside of the bath so you can clean off."

Alice was crying, "Please don't do this. Please," she was pleading with me. I didn't respond and placed her in the bathtub.

"Is it too warm?"

Alice didn't answer, but her sobbing increased. "Please, please," over and over again.

Looking toward the room, I found Bella handing the baby off to my grandmother. She nodded at me, closing the bathroom door.

I said an Our Father and a Hail Mary and pushed Alice under the water, keeping my eyes closed the whole time. Her fingers were gripping my arms and her body was jerking beneath the water. I hadn't plugged the tub, so could hear the water running and draining simultaneously.

"...pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with me...," whispering the prayer over and over. This is not the first time I've killed a woman, sadly. But it is the first time killing a mother, a woman that had just given birth.

When she stopped fighting me, I opened my eyes taking in the small body in the water. Her eyes are open and the water is pink. Swallowing tightly, I fell back, sitting on the small rug and ran my hands over my face. "Shit."

The door swung open and Jasper walked in. "Fuck," was all he said.

"Is Bella...," I trailed off.

Jasper was already lifting me off of the ground. "Yeah, man. She's out there, in the hallway waiting for you."

"I'm gonna go out there," I said.

"Yeah, I'll take care of this. Go help your wife, she's falling apart, this is a lot of shit to take in."

I was resting my head against the wall, trying to get myself under control. Bella needs me. Bella needs me, I chanted in my head. After a moment, my ass was able to move and the hard shell that I normally wore, slipped back into place. Bella needs me.

When I opened the door, two guys pushed past me and Bella fell into my arms. Her heart wrenching sobs were almost too much.

"Shush," I sang to her, "It will be okay." Repeating the phrase over, hoping one of us might believe it.

"There are flashing lights outside," I said, calmly.

"Paramedics. Edward, they delivered Gianna's baby."

My shoulders slumped, "and?"

She shook her head, "I don't know, the baby cried. The paramedic said it was almost like Gianna was holding on for him. She died right after he was born."

"And Demetri?"

She shook her head, "he was gone quickly, the bomb was under the drivers seat."

Tightening an arm around her, I pulled at my hair with the other.

"Baby, everyone has to go back to the secured building. No going out, at all. Until this asshole is dead."

"Do what you have to do, Edward." Her eyes were boring into mine, "that little boy will be without parents, thanks to those assholes."

"What about the other one?" I asked, whispering.

"Daniel Aro will be here soon. Carlisle called him."

Bella and I were on the porch now, I sat on the top step before pulling Bella into my lap. We sat quietly, watching the chaos around us.

"I love you, Edward, with my whole heart," her words were soft against my skin.

Resting my forehead on her shoulder, kissing her neck lightly. "Ti amo, Isabella, per sempre." (I love you, Isabella, forever.)

Those were the last words spoken between us that night, as we sat on the steps waiting for the Aros to get here.

*********************unexpected*******************************************************************

a/n: hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this, my anxiety level is through the roof, but Sunflower assured me it was kick-ass. Send me reviews and let me know.

I don't think I replied to all of the reviews last time, because my mailbox went crazy! But I enjoyed them very much! You guys were absolutely fabulous with your comments in the last chapter. As always, thank you so much for reading, reviewing, adding me to your faves, recommending, I appreciate it all.

Have a great week! See you soon =)


	30. Chapter 28

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading:_

~~b~~

Leaning my head against my husband, I let the tears fall. This has been such a horrible night. Edward's arms squeeze tighter around me as he lifts me and places me on his lap. I feel safe, and I feel loved. Edward is the only man, other than my father, that can incite this feeling in me.

I was clinging to him, but I placed a kiss against his collarbone. He rested his head on my shoulder and I allowed him the few moments he needed to get himself under control. I can only imagine what thoughts are running through his head right now.

"Edward," Jasper called out to him.

His voice interrupted the silent bubble we had been wrapped in.

"Why don't you and Isa take off, man."

"No," Edward said sharply. "I'm not going to let you do this alone. That's what got us into this mess to begin with."

"Ed," Jasper started but I cut him off.

"No, Jasper, he's right. I will go upstairs with Esme. Edward is needed here." I turned to my husband, "I will be here, when you're done."

Edward took a deep breath and rolled his neck, his nervous tick. He leaned in, cupping my face softly between his hands and kissing me softly.

As he walked away, he shook his hands away from his body and jumped up and down a little bit before rolling his head from side to side. He looked like a boxer getting ready to jump in the ring. And, I suppose that's what he is right now.

I sat back down on the steps and held my head in my hands. I took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. This night is hardly over, and this isn't the time for a breakdown.

I scrubbed my fingers through my hair, before lacing them behind my neck. One more deep breath, rolling my neck in circles, I prepared to stand. As I looked up, Paul was standing in front of me with a somber look.

"Esme is asking for you," he said quietly, extending his hand to me, I took it, allowing him to pull me into standing.

"You okay?" I asked him. This must be a nightmare for him**;** he and Demetri were really close.

He shrugged, his eyes narrowing and he looked away. "I will be," was his rough answer.

I wrapped an arm around his waist and we made our way into the house.

As we passed through the door, I took a moment to look around. There were people all over the place. It was noisy and loud, but all I could focus on were the faces of those present in the room.

This is my family. I think I finally realize what that means, now. It means we are all or nothing; that we support each other – right or wrong. No doubts, no questions, no judgments. We will all do whatever is necessary to protect one another. We are all one in this aftermath, hard love, and no exceptions.

The weight of it hit me square in the chest. I understood, finally. I got it. I am a part of this.

"Isabella," Esme's voice snapped my out of my musing. "I need your help."

I squeezed Paul tightly before making my way up the stairs. When I reached Esme, she pulled me into a tight hug. We clung to each other for a long moment before she took me to the bedroom.

Alice's baby lay in the middle of a large bed swaddled in blankets. Esme and I were the only people in the room.

"I don't want to take care of it," Esme said quietly, and then turned quickly to look at me. Her eyes were frantic, wild, "Does that make me a bad person? This tiny child has done nothing wrong, not one thing. But I can't bring myself to care for it." Her eyes filled with tears and she covered her mouth. Quiet sobs filled the room.

I wonder if it is wrong that I don't feel the need to cry. I feel nothing toward this child, actually.

"I think we should wait for Daniel Aro to get here and turn the child over to him. He can figure out what to do with it. I don't think it will benefit anyone for the child to remain here; there will be resentment toward her. She doesn't deserve that."

Esme nodded. "I've sent someone out to get diapers and formula for her."

We stood at the end of the bed, watching the small child. What would happen to her? Would Daniel inform Alec that he has a daughter? Or will they ship her off to Italy? Maybe put her up for adoption. I shook my head, still angry at Alice for her stupid choices.

"What about Gianna and Demetri's baby?" I asked quietly.

Tears were streaming down Esme's face as she made the sign of the cross at their names being spoken.

"Nonna Cesca went with the baby in the ambulance." She walked over to grab a tissue from the side table. "Demetri has been with us since he was a child. He, Jasper and Edward are brothers in every sense of the word. I don't..." she said, sobbing again, "I don't know. We have been trying to contact Gianna's family in Italy but they don't answer. We have someone going to their home. Hopefully..." she trailed off.

She didn't need to finish the thought. Hopefully they are alive.

I moved to the arm chair on the other side of the room and sat down heavily.

I'm not sure how long we sat before we heard a loud commotion from downstairs. We didn't move we just listened. We couldn't make out any specific words or voices, so we waited for someone to tell us what was going on.

My phone beeped. Pulling it from my pocket, I opened the message button.

_Baby, where are you? - E_

I sighed in relief.

_Upstairs, guest bedroom with Esme -B_

There was a quiet knock on the door, before it opened. Esme and I were standing together. I glanced at the baby before turning to the man entering the room.

Edward.

He also looked at the baby on the bed**, **before pulling us both in for a hug.

"Daniel Aro and Rosalie are downstairs. They want to take the baby."

My eyes shot up in surprise, and Esme started laughing. "Of course Rosalie would come with him. What a loyal soul she is," she said bitingly.

Jasper poked his head in the room, "Hey Ma, you want to come with me and we can take the kid to them. Aro is already with Dad and Santo , so Rosalie is going to leave with the baby.

"Is Emmett here? Did he see Rosalie?"

"No, he's at the hospital watching over Nonna Cesca," he said, with a sad smile. We all felt bad for Emmett.

I nodded, "What do you need us to do?"

"You and Ed are going to head to the hospital. They should release the baby to you, as Demetri's next of kin."

The words felt like lead in my stomach, _Demetri's next of kin._ I looked up at Edward. His eyes were tight and his lips mashed together. Wrapping my arm around his waist, I turned and asked Jasper, "Why us?"

Jasper had the grace to look a bit sheepish, and he spoke while glancing back and forth between his mother and me. "Well, Demetri was our family, my parents were his guardians when he was younger. So, we figured that since you and Ed are getting married soon, you'd be the best option to take the child. Also, we don't want to leave the child in the hospital while we have so many enemies out there."

Esme snorted, "Yes, since you are _engaged_ to be married, you are the best option. Young, capable, financially stable."

She emphasized the word engaged. She has figured us out, she knows we are married. I wonder how long it will take for her to bring it up.

"We have tried to make contact with Gianna's family in Italy, but we haven't had any luck. We asked some friends of oursto check it out. I get that this might be a lot for you guys, but we can always discuss it later. For now, please go pick up the baby. Go back to the secured building and we will all catch up tomorrow."

Esme picked up Alice'sbaby from the bed and walked out of the room, with Jasper following.

Edward pulled me into an embrace and rested his forehead against mine.

"How are you?" he asked.

I closed my eyes, "I don't know."

"Me either," he said, as he kissed my forehead. Are you ready for a baby, can you do this?" he asked. And then more quietly, almost a whisper, "can we do this?"

"Baby," I answered him, tightening my hold on him. "I think having the baby with us will be hard, it will be a reminder that his parents aren't with us anymore. But we will love him, and care for him, and show him what a wonderful family he has. Let's just take this one step at a time, okay? It will all work out, everything will be fine."

Edward blew out a long breath and nodded, looking resolved. "Alright," he leaned in to kiss me, "Let's go."

~~u~~

Walking into the hospital was...nerve wracking. I was feeling on edge, due to the earlier events of the day, I felt so disheveled. Edward gripped my hand tightly as we approached the reception desk.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The woman asked, as her eyes took in our appearance and a look of sympathy came over her face. We must look worse than I originally thought.

"Hello, we are here to see Baby Boy Cullen, he was brought in by ambulance earlier," Edward said quietly.

The woman picked up the phone and made a call to what I assume was the nursery.

"Of course, thank you," she said after a quiet conversation.

"Someone will be down to meet you in a moment."

I smiled and led Edward away from the desk before wrapping my arms around him. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" a woman's voice called out to us.

"Yes," Edward answered.

"My name is Eleanor. I'll be escorting you to the nursery."

We followed her through the hallway and to the elevator. Once inside, she turned to address us.

"The baby is doing just fine. His weight is a little low, but that's to be expected since his birth was premature. But his lungs are functioning well and we were able to bottle feed him. He should be able to go home with you in the next day or so."

The elevator dinged and we exited, following Eleanor to the nurses' station. She had badges prepared for us along with bracelet ID tags. Seeing it clasped around my wrist brought tears to my eyes. I took a shaky breath and looked up at Edward. His eyes were glassy as well.

"We also need you to choose a name for him, for the birth certificate and social security information. Someone from child services will be here to speak with you in the morning, and we will have some paperwork for you to complete."

She was being very clinical, but she squeezed my arm gently. Showing that she understood how difficult this was.

As we approached the nursery window, we saw Nonna Cesca sitting in a chair in the hallway. When she saw us, she jumped out of the chair. "Isa, Edoardo," her voice was shaky, and tears were already welling in her eyes.

"He's so beautiful," she cried, and then crossed herself.

I hugged her tightly and urged her to sit down again.

"Is there a way we can get a family room so we can spend time with him?" Edward asked.

The nurse looked hesitant.

"We have had a very traumatic night and I think it will help us to be together, as a family. As you can see, my wife and grandmother are very upset. And I don't want to upset any of your patients when the rest of our family arrives. Our attorney should be here in the morning with all of the proper documents." Edward lowered his voice, "Please. You can place a security guard outside of the door to keep an eye on us. We really need to come to terms with my brother and sister-in-laws death."

"Let me see what I can do. Mrs. Cullen, would you like to come inside and sit with the baby?"

I wiped my face and nodded, looking up at Edward. He gave me a sad smile and leaned in to kiss me softly before taking my place next to his grandmother.

I followed the nurse through the door and she showed me how to scrub my hands clean before going into the nursery. There were rocking chairs on the side of each incubator.

"He's only in here because of the circumstances surrounding his birth. We wanted to make sure he was doing well before moving him into a normal bed."

I nodded, not really knowing what to say.

"Go ahead and sit down, and I will hand him to you."

I followed her instructions and sat in the chair, and soonshe was placing him in my arms.

"Support his head," she said quietly, "that's it. Good. Do you have any questions?"

I shook my head, unwilling to take my eyes off of the little boy in my arms. My eyes welled with tears, but he felt so good in my arms. His face looked a little swollen and his hands are so tiny, and he is so beautiful. My fingers moved softly over his face, and I lifted his hat slightly to see his head. It looked like peach fuzz, dark in color. I leaned in, smelling him and smiled. Kissing his little cheek, I whispered, "You're safe now, little one. I won't let anything happen to you."

Feeling eyes on me, I looked up at the window to find Edward watching me with a small smile on his face.

~~edward~~

I was leaning against the wall watching Bella through the window. She is so beautiful, and seeing her with a baby is doing weird things to my heart. I feel like it's going to come out of my chest.

She leans in and kisses his face, and says something to him.

And then her eyes are on mine, like she could feel me watching her. I can't hold back my smile. Her eyes are shining and I can already see that she loves this little boy. She smiles at me shyly, and shifts her body so I can see the baby's face. He looks so small, but content in Bella's arms.

"Mr. Cullen," the nurse from earlier calls out from down the hall.

I look toward her and then turn to Bella and point down the hall so she knows where I am going.

"We were able to secure a room for you. There are already several people in the lobby asking for you and your wife. The doctor has just arrived, so I will ask him to examine the baby to make sure it is safe for us to move him into the room with your family."

"Okay, should I just wait here?"

"Yes, I will send Mrs. Cullen out and then we will escort you all to the family room."

I nodded and followed her toward the nursery. Another nurse was already moving the baby back into the incubator and it looked like she was explaining what was happening to Bella.

A doctor walked up and shook hands with Bella before looking up toward me and nodding his head in greeting. Bella walked out of the nursery and I watched her move until she was next to me again. Her hands wrapped around my waist and we watched the baby as the doctors and nurses moved around him.

They poked his foot, drawing blood and I stood up straight ready to ask what the hell they were doing. Bella squeezed my waist, "They have to check his blood, make sure his levels are healthy. The nurse explained it when I was in there."

"I don't like that he's crying," I said.

After what seemed like a long time, the nurse smiled and started preparing the move. She gestured to Bella and me, and we made our way over toward her. The nurse checked both of our bracelets and then the bracelet around the baby's foot before handing him to Bella.

"Mrs. Cullen, why don't you carry your baby boy," she smiled. After placing some items into a small baby crib, she started moving down the hall, leading us toward a room, or suite, as she called it.

"Why don't the three of you spend a little time together? If you need anything," she walked over toward the bed, "push this red button and it will call the nurses' station. Someone will answer you through the speaker. Or you can walk to the nurses' station at the end of the hall. Make a left when you exit the room and it will be the first desk you come to**.**"

"Are we allowed to have visitors? I know our situation is a little different, but we are expecting some family members once visiting hours are open."

"Yes, of course. They will need to check in, but I don't see any issues. Your little man is doing great so it is likely he will be discharged tomorrow. A social worker will be here first thing in the morning as will the doctor. He will conduct his final exam and give you some information on infant care. Again, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," Bella said quietly.

"Of course," she smiled. "Congratulations, once again."

When the nurse walked out, I made my way over to Bella. I was in awe of her. She looked so natural holding a child. I swept her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "You look so beautiful, right now, in this moment."

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked, with a smile.

I'm sure I looked terrified but I nodded. I did want to feel him in my arms, I wanted to know him.

Bella had me sit back on the couch and she shifted her body, placing him gently in my arms.

"Watch his head," she said, her hand cradling his tiny head.

"Wow," I whispered.

"Isn't he beautiful?"

I nodded, never taking my eyes off of this tiny person in my arms. He kind of looked like an old man, his face swollen and his little hands fisted on his stomach.

I chuckled, looking up at my wife, my eyes filled with tears. This moment was amazing, but this is not my biological child. This is Demetri and Gianna's baby, and I feel guilty and overjoyed at the same time.

"I don't know if I should be happy or cry," I said to her.

A quiet sob filled the room and Bella's head was resting against the side of mine. We were both quiet for a long time as we watched the little guy sleep.

"I love him already, Edward."

"Me too, baby," I answered, angling my face toward hers for a kiss.

The door opened and Nonna Cesca and Emmett walked in. Bella stood and hugged both of them before sitting Nonna Cesca next to me. I didn't know how to hand her the baby, so I looked at her and shrugged. Nonna gently took him from my arms.

She kissed his forehead, said a prayer, and covered his head and his heart with the sign of the cross. She said she was giving him a blessing and she had found the priest that resided in the hospital.

"He will come here soon, to bless him. Have you chosen his name?"

I looked up at Bella and she gave me a watery smile.

"I was thinking we would give him the middle name Demetri," she said quietly. I nodded. That was a good idea; a piece of his father would always be with him. I also wanted him to have a strong Italian name.

"How about Matteo?" I asked, after a moment.

My grandmother smiled, "a gift from God." She was nodding as she watched the small child in her arms.

I looked over at Bella, "it's perfect," she said with tears in her eyes.

I stood up and pulled her into my arms. "I love you," I said quietly.

"I love you," she whispered back, angling her face toward me. I kissed her softly.

Matteo Demetri Cullen.

My wife was tucked into my side and my grandmother held her first grandchild in her arms. Bella and I were parents now, we have a child.

It would take a while to get over Demetri and Gianna's deaths, but I would do everything in my power to make sure this child always feels safe and loved. He would know that his parents were good people and loved him very much, even though they were not given the chance to meet him.

I squeezed Bella tighter in my arms, turning slightly to see Emmett standing by the door. His face was a mixture of happy and sad as he watched Nonna and Matteo. After a moment, his eyes met mine, hard and angry, as if in agreement with my thoughts.

We would take care of the threat to our family once and for all. Emmett nodded and placed a hand over his heart. I nodded in acknowledgment and watched as my wife sat on the sofa, taking Matteo into her arms.

Yes, this game had gone on long enough. The Aros would not be leaving Chicago in one piece.

~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

A/N: Hello! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And thank you all so much for reading. I appreciate it so, so much. I know there is a lot going on, so email me, PM me, if you have any questions.

Also, just so you guys know, I have about 645 reviews! Thank you all so, so much. =)


	31. Chapter 29

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading =)_

~~bella~~

He's crying, I'm crying, and I'm so, so tired. I don't know what to do.

"Oh baby, please stop crying. I love you, love you, please," I'm sobbing right along with him now. I've been walking around the living room with him, trying to soothe him. I have done all of the things I think should have been done.

I walk into the kitchen and open the tiny bottle of pre-made formula. I shake it and make sure not too much comes out of the nipple, and offer it to Matt.

I call him Matt, everyone else calls him Matteo.

Oh thank God, he's calming down. I tilt him up a bit more; worried that he will choke on the formula, since he's drinking so quickly. Huh, maybe I'm not giving him enough to eat.

"Is that your problem, little man? Am I not feeding you enough?" I'm calming down right along with him. His appetite has really grown over the past few days.

I grab another bottle and walk into the living room, sitting in the oversized chair Edward bought. It's so cozy, and my new favorite spot.

Matt finishes the first bottle and I put him on my shoulder to burp him, doing my best to open the second at the same time. When he finally burped, I teased his mouth with the nipple so we can begin again.

He drinks greedily for a few minutes and then starts dozing off. I adjust him so I can burp him again and walk into the bedroom. Laying him on the bed, I place pillows all around the edge, just in case, and then check his diaper. He's okay for now, so I make sure he's swaddled tightly in his blanket and arrange myself around him. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

* * *

><p>"Hey buddy," I could hear someone saying, "you stink. What did you eat?"<p>

I tried to open my eyes, truly, but it was like they were taped shut.

"Eww," I heard an unhappy groan. "Dude, what is this? If I puke on the bed, Bella's gonna be really pissed off at me."

I wanted to laugh, but I could feel sleep pulling me under again.

_~~u~~_

I sat up with a start. The bed is empty. The bed is empty! Where's the baby? Oh my God. I jump out of bed and trip over a pillow on the floor.

"Shit."

I open the bedroom door and hear nothing. Oh my...I rush into the living room and see Edward lying on the couch with Matt on his chest.

The sight brings tears of relief and happiness to my eyes. Edward's eyes shift over to me.

"Hey, baby. Did you sleep okay?"

I fall into the chair next to the couch and blow out a deep breath.

"Yes, thanks for letting me sleep," I answer.

"Little man was whimpering when I got here and you were completely knocked out. I'm sorry I haven't been here more to help you. Give me a few more days, and everything should be taken care of," he said quietly, before yawning.

I nod, and reach for the baby. "Go get some sleep, Edward."

"Hmmm," he hums as he stretches. "Put Matteo in his crib and lay down with me. I miss having you in my arms."

I smile, and tilt my head, looking at my beautiful husband. He is always so sweet to me.

I walk into our bedroom and set Matt into the bassinet we have set up in the corner. I grab a blanket off of the bed, along with the baby monitor and move back into the living room. Edward is lying on his back with his eyes closed, but a smile crosses his face when he hears me. He opens his legs, moving one foot to the floor so I can lie on top of him.

I cross my arms on his chest, resting my chin on my hands so I can look at him.

His face is covered in stubble and his hair is a mess, but he is so beautiful.

"Are you staring at me?" he asks. A smile is on his face, but his eyes are still closed.

"Yes," I answer.

His hands wrap more tightly around me, and I can feel his excitement growing beneath me. I close my eyes, the feeling of anticipation building in my stomach. It's been so long since we've been able to enjoy one another.

I push my lower body into his, he groans, his fingers tightening on my waist. I lean up and kiss his stubble covered chin, running my tongue over his jaw. I love the way the coarse hair feels across my tongue. I inch my way up to take his lips with mine.

He responds immediately, roughly. He pulls my body up so that our faces are even with one another and wraps a hand in my hair. We are as close as we can be, every inch of our bodies touching. His legs are wrapped around my calves, and he is pushing me into his erection, seeking friction.

My hands are pulling his hair and I tilt my face up as his lips travel across my cheek, to my jaw, to my neck. His fingers make quick work of my sleep pants and underwear. And he has somehow rid himself of his own clothes. He pushes me up and aligns himself with me before pushing me down onto him.

"Ah!" I cry out, in surprise, extremely glad that I was ready for him. I stay still for a moment, adjusting to the feel of him inside of me.

His mouth is still moving across my skin, but my focus is on our connection. I feel so full.

"Baby, baby," he says quietly, begging me to move.

I push myself up, hands on his chest and lift my body before slamming back down. The feel of him is too much, and my body is needy. I want him fast and hard. I want the blossoming in my stomach to explode and blind me.

His hands travel under my tank top, pushing it over my head and tossing it aside. His fingers tease my skin, his tongue trailing along my collarbone. The hand on my hip urges me to move in a quick rhythm.

"Ah, Edward," I whisper, "Edward..." I moan.

He sits up and throws his legs over the side of the couch, without pulling out of me. I am straddling him now and his hands are on my hips, guiding me, urging me.

I lower my face to his, wanting to be completely connected to him when I fall apart. I can feel it, just under the surface, almost. "Almost," I say against his lips.

Then I feel his finger on my nub and my head falls back. He rubs me in tight circles, and he is pushing into me hard, and then he takes my breast into his mouth and my vision goes white.

I feel his forehead on my chest, and then a whispered "Fuck," against my skin. His fingers are digging into my hips and then I feel him twitch inside of me.

I am still for a few moments before allowing my body to sag against his, "I don't think I can move."

He laughs against my skin, "good."

"I've missed you," I say against the skin of his neck, and then lick him. I love how he tastes.

He pulls my body against his and turns his head so he can kiss me. It's slow and tender and lazy. It's perfect. It's exactly what I've been missing the past few days.

I kiss his lips softly, "Baby," I say as I move off of him. His eyes opening slightly to look at me, and he gives me a sleepy smile.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs.

"Get dressed before you fall asleep," I say quietly. He puts his pants on and then curls up on the couch. I cover him with the blanket. "I love you," I whisper against his cheek as Igive him a soft kiss.

I pick up our clothes and walk into the bedroom, checking on the baby before making my way into the bathroom for a shower.

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Edward is up and dressed. Matt is up and has been wonderfully quiet and content. And Edward's family has noisily taken over our apartment, again. And I'm being treated like the intruder, again.<p>

I'm not exactly sure when I became the person everyone is mad at. I don't even really know what I did. I'm hardly around anyone, and no one comes to visit. It is usually just me and the baby. Nonna Cesca comes to help me sometimes during the day, when she feels up to it. And Jasper and Emmett will sit around and have dinner with Edward and me. It is an awful feeling that no one wants to be around me. I haven't said anything to Edward, but I can see the way his eyes narrow when someone makes a comment.

Like the past few weeks, as soon as everyone gets here, I'm pushed out of my kitchen, comments are made about the cleanliness of our home, about what I am doing wrong. I hold back my tears and resign myself to sit in my oversized chair in the corner. Pretty much avoiding everyone.

"Isa, do you have potatoes?" Esme asks, rather yells from the kitchen.

I frown, "no, I only buy them if I am going to use them for a dish."

I hear a tsk.

"Isa, where is the salt?"

I sigh, and close my eyes. I am tired and grouchy and I really don't want all of these people here today. I don't want to deal with the pettiness of people who are supposed to be my family.

Esme has been in the kitchen all afternoon asking me question after question. I mean really, how hard is it to open cabinets and look for things? She cooks here all the time, she knows where everything is. And what point is she trying to prove, that I haven't shopped? I don't know why she is so angry with me. My eyes are still closed, andI'm trying to keep from crying when I hear Edward.

"Ma, I'm pretty sure you can find everything you need in the kitchen. What's with all of the yelling at Isa?"

"What? I'm not yelling. I'm looking for things that I can't find," she answers, haughtily.

"Then go cook at your house," Edward answered.

"Edoardo, watch your mouth," Santo said, calling him out on his behavior.

"I'm sorry, but..." he shook his head, "Never mind. Please, just burst in here whenever you want. Maybe you guys can give us a list next time and we can have everything ready and laid out for you when you come through the door."

I slumped into the chair. One, two...and the yelling starts. It seems like this has to happen every couple of weeks. The tension builds and builds and then everyone blows up at each other.

I stand up and carry Matt to our bedroom, closing the door as I walk in. I make my way to the rocking chair near the window and sit, looking out at the city below.

Matt is making little noises and squirming in my arms. I hold him out so that he's resting on my forearms with his head in my hands. His eyes are open and taking in his surroundings.

"Hi, baby," his face turns toward mine and his little legs kick out. "What are you doing? Are yougetting ready to fight everyone like your daddy?"

Daddy. We haven't really used that term too much since bringing Matteo home. It seemed like we were betraying Gianna and Demetri. But I think I've come to terms with it over the past few weeks.

Carlisle revealed to us that Demetri had intended to name Edward and I as Godparents, before the accident happened. I cried when he told us this, but it did help me move forward and allow myself to feel like Matt's mother, to _be_ a mother with no guilt.

So, I've been referring to Edward as Daddy when Matt and I are alone. Testing it out, hearing it out in the open. My only hope right now is that Gianna's family doesn't appear suddenly and want to take him away.

~~edward~~

Everyone is yelling around me. Fuckers. They are the ones who show up here uninvited and they have the fucking nerve to complain about what we don't have in the kitchen. It's been pissing me off all afternoon, but seeing the look of...rejection on Bella's face just pissed me the fuck off.

Anyone can see how exhausted she is. And she's been stuck in this apartment for the past month. She can go out with a guard but she doesn't feel comfortable taking the baby out.

"What the fuck ever, you guys can be pissed at me if you want. Isabella is exhausted and I would think you guys could give her some time to fucking adjust to having a kid. But you always show up when she finally has a chance to rest and make all kinds of fucking noise," I answer in response to someone. "Then you wake up the baby and of course, no one helps because _Isabella has to learn how to deal with a child_. But you guys are the fucking reason he is up to begin with!"

Everyone keeps going and I've finally had it.

"Get the fuck out! All of you."

This shuts everyone up. They are all looking at me like I'm crazy. "Isa isn't even in the room anymore, did any of you notice that? No, of course fucking not. You guys have been treating her like shit for weeks. Get out."

My mother is staring at me with tears in her eyes, "Edward."

"Ma, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be disrespectful but I'm tired, Isa is tired. We're trying okay? But we were not prepared for this, at all. You have to give us a little room here," I take a deep breath and release it slowly. "You aren't the only one missing Gianna and Demetri, but it isn't Bella's fault they are gone. It wasn't her choice that we," I point at my chest, "became the baby's guardians. Demetri named us as Godparents;I'm not going to be sorry for it. I'm not sure why you've been treating Isabella this way, but it needs to stop."

Raising my voice and looking toward everyone else in the room, I continued. "I refuse to let you do this to Isabella anymore. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this. She's been nothing but loyal and loving to everyone in this family, and you have all just pushed her aside. Well, no more. She is a part of this family and whether you like it or not, she's not going anywhere. So either deal with it, or don't. I don't fucking care. But I won't allow any of you to treat her this way in our home, anymore."

Everyone is quiet but my grandfather is looking at me with a small smile. I wonder if my grandmother has told him what's been going on. My grandparents, Jasper and Emmett are the only people who have been spending time with Bella these days.

People start grabbing the things they came with and start filing out of the apartment. My dad's claps me on the shoulder, "I'm glad you are standing up for your wife, but if you ever speak to your mother that way again, I'll beat your ass."

He squeezes my shoulder again and walks out. I close the door and lean against it for a moment.

Emmett and Jasper are sitting in the living room drinking a beer.

"Dude," Emmett says, "I'm glad you finally said something. I was getting kind of pissed off earlier. What the fuck is wrong with everyone?"

I shook my head and grabbed a beer from the kitchen. "I think everyone is upset about Demetri and Gianna, and they are taking it out on Bella."

"Yeah, but come on. It isn't like anyone else was jumping up to take the kid. And Carlisle told everyone you were named Godparents."

I shrug and look over at Jasper. He hasn't said anything yet, but he looks upset.

"What's up J?"

"Man, if I'd known this would happen, I would've..." he trailed off. "I don't know. I really think you and Isa are the best choice for the baby, but I feel bad that everyone is treating Isa this way. Especially, Mom. I talked to her before we came over today and she told me I didn't know what I was talking about, to mind my own business."

"Whatever. I said what I needed to say. If Mom is pissed off at me, then she's pissed. But she was in my house, and Bella is already family. Mom knows that." I blew out a deep breath, "I'm gonna go check on them real quick."

I heard Emmett ask Jasper what I meant about Bella being family, and I stop in the hallway. I can hear him telling Emmett about what happened at the church, leaving out the married part.

As I approached the bedroom door, I hear Bella talking to Matteo.

"When you are a little bigger, Daddy and I are going to take you on a vacation. How about the beach? That sounds fun right? I think you are too little for Disneyland, but we will definitely go there too."

Daddy. I've not heard Bella refer to me this way before, and I can't help the overwhelming feeling in my chest. Bella and I are parents. It sinks in a little more every day. I smile and open the bedroom door.

"Hey," Bella says with a smile.

"Hi, I'm sorry about all of that earlier. I kicked everyone out, except Emmett and Jasper."

She nodded and shrugged.

I kiss the top of her head, knowing she is trying to push it all aside, and reach out to take the baby. "Hey Matteo, are you being good for Mommy?"

I chance a glance at Bella, she's smiling but tears are streaming down her face. She stands up and hugs me. I wrap and arm around her and the three of us stand there for a moment, enjoying the happy feeling.

"Come on, let's go out there and spend some time with your uncles," I say to Matteo and pull Bella along with me.

* * *

><p>Paul, Emmett and I are sitting in a parked car. Dark clothes, beanies. We are watching the warehouses we have wired.<p>

Activity has been moving pretty steady in and out of here for weeks. And it isn't our family moving shit. Once we realized what was going on, we staked the place out.

Jasper was able to find out that the Aros are running business out of Chicago. Fuckers, did they really think we wouldn't find out? We've left them alone for the past couple of weeks because we wanted to see what they were moving, who was buying and, we wanted them to relax a little so we could catch them off guard.

We are here tonight, because sadly, the warehouses are going to experience some fire damage. I smile at the eventual vision of fire, blown out windows, and flying body parts.

"Hey, Ed," I look over at Paul. "Isn't that Nate?"

I turn in the direction Paul is pointing and sure as shit, there's Nate. He disappeared on us a few months back.

"Emmett," I say quietly.

Emmett jumps out of the car and runs over to Nate, punching him and then throwing him over his shoulder. Paul popped the trunk and Emmett took a few minutes to secure him. The car jumped a few times and Emmett closed the trunk.

Paul calls the two other units we have placed around the area, checking in. One of them says they saw Alec.

"How fucking great is that?" I say happily. His ass gets killed completely by accident. We can't be blamed for taking out the head of a family, if we didn't even know he was here.

"Alright, let's get this going before they have a chance to move any of that shit. The fuses are in place?"

"Yea man, the crew said each warehouse is wired. They will go up one after the other. Pop, pop, pop, pop." Paul says while pointing his gun at each one. "It's all set up to look accidental."

"Let's go."

We step out of the car after Paul gives the other crews the go ahead. We are sweeping the area before we set the bombs off, to make sure none of them get away. We want a blood bath. We want the Aro family to know who they fucked with.

Paul takes out the guy standing in the alley. Emmett pushes him against the warehouse wall, out of anyone's line of sight. There are four warehouses that we are concerned about, two on each side of the alley. We can see heavy movement in and out of one of them. There are also some trucks sitting on the dock waiting to be loaded.

"They're moving electronics," I say quietly. We walk over to the next one, it's pretty empty but there are people in there working around some tables. The warehouses on the other side have men all over the place.

"Ready?" Paul nods and we run around the buildings and back to the cars. We drive further down the road and Paul calls James.

"It's a go."

We hear a pop, and then a rumble. We are far enough out that we won't be hurt when the buildings blow, but close enough that we can see what is happening. We see the black smoke in the sky and then a few more pops. And then the fucking windows blow out of the upper floors and fire bursts through the sky. It looks like a big fucking mushroom. Jesus.

"What the fuck did they have in those other buildings?"

No one answered, but we could probably guess. We watched for a few minutes and then decided we needed to leave before the fire trucks and police came through.

Paul told everyone to disappear, and I called Jasper to let him know we'd be having a guest tonight.

~~u~~

By the time we got to the house in the morning, the warehouse fires were all over the fucking news. Luckily, they said it appeared that drugs were the cause for the fires and set off a chain reaction causing millions of dollars in damage.

Smiling, I fixed myself a cup of coffee and went to check in with my father and Jasper.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.

"Hey, Ed."

"So what happened with Nate?"

Jasper snorted, "Hewas fucking useless. High as a fucking kite and when he started coming down he was so jittery and paranoid we only found out what we already knew. He had started pushing for the Aros. They've been at this for about two months."

"Wow, that long?" I looked between my brother and father. "So, do we have a confirmation that Alec was in that warehouse?"

Jasper shook his head, "not yet. Daniel Aro is still alive but I'm not sure he's gonna last much longer. I figure that we only have to wait a little while longer for Antonio Aro to show up here. We have Daniel and Alec is probably barbeque right now." He shrugged, "this is our city. I don't know what the fuck made them think they could come here."

"The other families are asking for a sit down. I think it's a good idea, and I think we take out who we can, go to the sit down and call a truce," my father said. "We have the better argument here – they are in our city, Chicago is out of their jurisdiction. And if we find out they are not acting alone, we'll handle that too."

I nod, it's a good plan. "You need me to move money around, in case they try to get greedy?"

My father looked out of the window, "yes, good idea. Let me know what you come up with."

We talk for a little longer before we go back to our apartments.

* * *

><p>When I walk in, I can hear Matteo crying. I look around the living room and it's still pretty clean. They must not have come out of the bedroom yet. For a baby that can't do anything by himself, he is the messiest person I know.<p>

When I walk into the bedroom, Matteo is naked on the bed and Bella is putting lotion on him.

"I know, baby boy, it's cold, I'm trying to hurry but you are so squirmy."

"Hey babe," I call out.

"Hi, you," she says with a smile. "I didn't hear you over the lungs of steel here."

I lean over and kiss her, and then take little man's foot and kiss it also. "I'm going to take a quick shower; I'll be out in a minute."

When I walk into the living room, Bella is holding Matteo in her arms , feeding him a bottle and she's watching the news.

"Baby, have you seen this?" she asks.

I sit next to her and smile at the baby, taking his little hand in mine before turning my attention to the television.

"_...the cause of the fires have yet to be determined. However, there is evidence that mass amounts of drugs were being stored in one of the warehouses, and could be the possible cause of the explosions. In total, four warehouses were damaged. We've also seen numerous body bags taken from the remains. I believe it is going to be a long time before we are able to find out the __identities of the deceased__._

_Also, Diane, I have just been made aware that the warehouse space is possibly linked to Alec Aro. As you know, he is known as a suspected mob boss in New York. While this has not been confirmed, it makes me curious as to his whereabouts in Chicago and is it possible that this explosion may not be so accidental. Back to you in the studio."_

"Edward," Bella said my name quietly.

I shook my head, and covered her lips with my finger. She nodded and then kissed my fingers.

Matteo finished his bottle and Bella burped him, I took him from her and walked with him into the bedroom. I changed his diaper and then placed him in his bassinet with a kiss to his cheek. I can't let the kid go without kissing him.

Back in the living room, I nod to the balcony and Bella stands. She wraps her sweater tightly around her, grabs the baby monitor and walks out ahead of me.

I light my cigarette and take a drag before pulling Bella into my arms. To anyone watching us, we look like a couple enjoying the view below. Bella is tucked into my side with her head on my chest.

I lean in and whisper, "The police will be all over us. We think Alec was in one of the warehouses. Nothing can be traced to us and we all have alibi's. I was home with my wife, helping her care for our newborn. We don't know where anyone else was because we haven't talked to anyone. That big family argument we had over the weekend will actually help us confirm that, if anyone asks."

Bella squeezed me tighter around the waist, "can we go in? It's really cold."

I nodded, unsure of her thoughts.

Before we made it completely through the glass doors, Bella stood tall and looked up at me. "I love you," she said and then kissed me. "Don't do anything stupid please, Matt and I need you."

"I know, baby. It will all be okay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hi guys! So what do you think? I have been really horrible with responding to reviews this time around. Our out of town visitors just left and with the kids going back to school, it's been pretty hectic. But please know that I love hearing from you.

Thanks so much for the positive reviews! You guys are fantastic and some of you even made me laugh out loud. I'm pretty sure my family thinks I'm completely insane because I'm always laughing out loud when reading on my phone.

Please review and let me know what you guys think, the next chapter is in progress...I may post it sooner than expected if I hear from you guys (hint, hint).

Take care, see you soon!


	32. Chapter 30

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading!_

~~jasper~~

Tanya, what are you doing sweetheart? I'm watching as she talks to people throughout the restaurant. She's gorgeous, I won't deny that, but she is a fucking flirt. And unfortunately, Felix is in her restaurant tonight.

Sitting on the bench outside, I light my cigarette and call Paul.

"Hey, what's up?"

"You up for a show tonight?" I ask.

"Always," he answers with a laugh.

"Bring James and Ed by the spot where my girl hangs out. Make sure you bring shit with you," I say quietly into the phone, and take another drag on my smoke.

"Cool."

I hung up the phone and continue to watch, I can't see exactly what is going on inside. But Tanya sits him close enough to a window where I can see keep my eye on him.

He's trying to charm her, and his hand is extremely close to her ass. My body is tense with anger, that mother fucker will pay for that.

Tanya is quick and swiftly moves away from him with a laugh, and walks toward a **couple that** just walked in. She kisses the woman's cheek and escorts them to a table. I glance at Felix and then turn back to her.

Tanya is talking to a waiter but she glances at the window and plays with her necklace. I blow out a breath and relax, just a little because she knows I'm here. I didn't realize how it would feel to care about someone. No wonder Ed is always so high strung. My nerves are on edge with that asshole in the same room as Tanya. I stand up and move into an alcove, out of sight, and wait for my boys to show up.

About fifteen minutes later, I see three figures coming toward me. They are walking quickly, laughing, smoking. Looking like some regular Joe's walking down the street after a few drinks. I whistle as they pass and one of the guys jogs off across the street. The other two turn at the corner.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. "Where do you want us?"

I smile. "Delivery dock, patio, building across the street."

One of the guys comes back, rubbing his hands together and glancing at his watch. "Hey man, you know what time the next bus gets here?"

He asks as a couple walks by us, "No, sorry."

"Shit. Thanks," he says and sits down. The couple continues down the street not paying any attention to us.

"James is at the delivery entrance and Ed is on the roof."

"Alright, I'm going to say hello to our friend," I chuckle and jog across the street.

I open the door and then pull my gloves off, placing then in my pocket. Then shrug out of my coat, throwing it over my arm.

"Hello," a lovely voice says from behind me.

"Hello, Dolcezza," I say, smiling, but not turning toward the voice.

"How may I help you?"

She is standing in front of me now, with a smile and a raised eyebrow. She's fucking with me. Well...

My eyes slide along her frame, taking in her red four inch stilettos, my favorite pair, and her long creamy legs. The dress she is wearing clings to her in all the right places, I stop at the pendant around her neck. When my eyes meet her, I'm smiling and she is blushing.

"Well, _beautiful_, I'm meeting someone here tonight," I step closer to her.

"Of course," she walks to the podium with a little extra sway to her hips. "The name of the other person in your party?" She looks up at me.

I smile and shake my head, glancing at the ground. Jesus, I'm not going to be able to keep this up without grabbing her and kissing the hell out of her right here.

I look up, and my eyes sweep the dining room. I raise an eyebrow, "Actually, I can see him from here," I say, and point.

"Very well, I'll take you over to him," She walks in front of me, "Follow me,_ sir._"

"Fuck," I say quietly, "You can't say that shit, you know what it does to me."

She laughs, "here you are, sir. I hope you enjoy your dinner."

I watch her walk away before turning my attention toward Felix. I smile nice and big, and pull out my chair.

Felix's face is tight and his eyes narrow at me, but he doesn't speak. I can't stop smiling, I'm...giddy, yep, fucking giddy that I caught him by surprise.

"So what are you having? Me, I think I'm going to get a big, juicy steak."

The waiter walks up, asking if we are ready to order.

"Yes, sir. I'd like the Signature filet, medium. And a Guinness."

Felix is still watching me, but glances at the waiter. "The same."

"Very good, I'll be right back with your drink, sir."

"So," I lean forward, forearms on the table, fingers linked. "What's going on? You meeting someone here?"

I look around the room, looking for someone interesting, wondering if I have taken someone's spot. I chuckle, he's really pissed. I don't think I've ever been in his presence when he didn't have something to say.

The waiter drops off my drink, and I nod my thanks.

I lean back in my chair, deciding to play it cool. My earlier happiness has been trampled down a bit by Felix's unhappy demeanor.

I tilt my head and take in his features. "You seem...," I trailed off, "unhappy to see me. Are you expecting someone else? I'm sure we can fit another person at this table."

I have no intention of leaving.

Tanya walks back over then, "Gentlemen, how are you doing over here?"

Felix perks up a bit, "good, thank you."

I lift an eyebrow. He really thinks he has game.

"Sweetheart, you are the best part of my night," I smile and take her hand. "What is your name, beautiful?"

"Tanya," she says, with a giggle. And that blush...

"What a beautiful name, _Tanya_."

"Thank you," she says quietly, and clears her throat. "Enjoy your dinner."

She walks away quickly and I'm about ready to follow after her. Damn, her ass looks fabulous in that dress.

"Alright, Cullen," Felix says, agitated. "What the fuck do you want?"

I laugh out loud, "What? Did you want to hit that? She would never go for a man like you. You ain't got enough swagger."

He turns away from me, his jaw grinding.

I smile, and take a drink of my Guinness. "So, I'm just wondering why you are still in Chicago." I look around the room again. "I know this isn't about Isabella. You guys have her mother, and apparently her sister. And not to mention that Isabella is a married woman." I chuckle, "Hell, you haven't even made a move toward her in months. She doesn't play well with others does she?"

He's staring at me, anger flaring in his eyes. "And you didn't seem to give a fuck about Alice. I mean, the girl's pregnant and you guys left her out to fucking fend for herself."

"Don't fucking say her name, you fucking asshole. You don't know shit about what went on with her," his voice grinds, angry and low.

I raised an eyebrow, "Really? Why don't you enlighten me?"

"Fuck you. I'm not telling you shit."

I laugh and nod, still sitting back comfortably in my chair. "Alright, have it your way."

We sit, staring at one another, both of us trying to figure out the other guys plan. My only advantage here is that he was caught off guard. He is still waiting for someone, and my guess would be that he is waiting for Alec.

"So, where's Alec these days? I'm surprised the two of you are hanging out. You know, a few months back he gave us the okay to off you."

His eyes narrow in on mine, angry but questioning. I raise my hands in the air, "no joke. When we were all in Italy, and you tried to get rid of my brother and his wife."

He mumbled under his breath and looked out toward the door again. "You don't seem to have too much to say. All of these months, you've done nothing but run your mouth, talk shit, cause problems. But when I am sitting herein front of you, you say nothing. Not a fucking word."

The waiter places our food on the table and waits for us to check our steak to confirm it's the correct color.

We cut into our food and watch each other. After a few moments, I swallow my food and start cutting another piece, talking without looking at him. I want to piss him off, I want him to yell at me. So I say the one thing that would piss me off, "So want to guess who Alice's kid belongs to? Because I have three guesses. It could be yours," I say and pop a piece of steak in my mouth. "This is good, right?" I ask, pointing at the plate. His face is turning an unhealthy shade of red, and he isn't eating.

"But I don't think that's true. You guys haven't been together in a while," I smile, "I did my research." Pointing at my head, "second guess is Daniel, I mean the guy is kind of old but to each his own right?"

His fingers are clenching now, gripping the steak knife and fork tightly.

"Last guess?" I tilt my head and smile, "Come on, you know you want to. No?" I shrug. "My money is on Alec. Did you know he funded her move to Chicago?" I raise my eyebrows and continue eating. Nodding, I continue, "Yeah, apparently he set her up with Isabella as Fashion photographer extraordinaire.

Alec had Alice's office space set up, and arranged photo shoots for her clothing line," I pointed at him with my fork again. "The models were scheduled; her staff was in place, all of it ready to go before she even got here. My guess is he knew she was _preggo_ and he needed to get her away from New York; away from his wife and his brother." I raised an eyebrow, "He just got lucky with the whole Isabella and Cullen involvement.

I've gotta give him credit, he totally played the Buccieri thing. Had us running in circles a little bit, but he got a little too greedy if you ask me. My boy, Nate," I say his name and look Felix in the eye, "told me Alec was pushing candy out here, in Chicago." I straighten up now, my face serious, my demeanor hard. "In my city, to my people."

Felix's eyes twitch just enough to know I've hit a nerve.

I take another bite, "what I don't understand is this." I point my fork at him, "How exactly is it that all of the main players in your family are in Chicago? Why aren't your asses out in New York, where you belong?"

We are staring each other down, and I'm not going to be the first to move. This question has been plaguing me for months, and the only reason I could come up with was this: Antonio Aro was tired of Alec and Felix driving his family into the ground. So he stepped in. And if I'm right, Daniel is the one to step up.

My father agreed with me when I pointed this out to him. That is why Daniel is sitting in our family home, alive and just a little beat up. We are all just waiting this out.

Felix finally looked away from me. And I chuckled, taking another bite of my steak. I could see Tanya in my periphery, and I wished she would stay out of the dining room.

"Are you waiting for Alec?" I turned, making a big show of looking toward the door. "I don't think he's coming."

Felix's eyes were hard against my own. I smiled and chewed my steak. It really is delicious. "You should eat your steak. It's fantastic."

"Why would you think Alec wouldn't be here?" He couldn't contain the question, couldn't continue acting cool.

"Well," I wipe my mouth with my napkin, "I saw on the news this morning that there was a massive warehouse fire late last night," I smile. "And word on the street is that Alec was inside."

In a move so fucking quick, I was actually impressed; Felix had a knife through my hand and table. His other hand held a gun to my head. Adrenaline was rushing through my system, so I thankfully I didn't feel any pain from the knife.

Laughing, I looked up at him. "You gonna kill me in a restaurant full of fucking people? Everyone is looking at you," I say, waving my good hand around the room, still laughing. "Fucking prick."

People around us were screaming, and moving to scramble out of the dining room. Felix and I were face to face, waiting. He was angry, I was fucking ecstatic.

And wouldn't you know, two men in suits were walking up behind Felix, guns drawn. Feds, of course, they follow us Cullens everywhere we go in Chicago. But, Felix wouldn't know that would he? I wasn't laughing anymore,but I couldn't wipe the stupid smile off my face. This shook him a little; his hand wavered in front of me.

"Mr. Aro, why don't you put the gun down," suit number one said, his sidearm aimed at the back of Felix's head.

Felix closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, they were vacant, empty, no feeling whatsoever. Now that fucking scared me, just a little.

He cocked the gun and started to squeeze the trigger, I went to duck, prepared to rip my hand and the knife out of the table, but his head jerked to the side and blood trickled from his temple. His arm went limp, his eyes locked on mine before his head fell forward on the table.

My eyes shot up in surprise and I looked around, wondering if I needed to get the fuck out of the way. The Feds were waving their guns toward the front of the room, and when I looked over, I could see a perfect circle cut into the window. Holy shit.

Suit number one turned his gun on me and I raised my free hand. He sighed and holstered his weapon. "Can you pull your hand and the knife out of the table?"

I shrugged and pulled the knife up, making sure my hand followed it. Fuck, I'm going to need surgery. I frowned and wrapped the napkin around the knife and my hand.

"Stand up," suit number two said.

When I stood, he searched me. Pulling my phone, wallet and keys out of one pocket and my cigarettes and lighter out of the other.

"Looking for something?" I ask with a chuckle. They must really think we are idiots. We may play dumb, but even my stupid ass knows you don't take weapons into a room full of Feds. That's what guys on the roof next door and hostess girlfriends are for.

Suit number one was on the phone and suddenly the police and paramedics were walking into the dining room. Tanya was finally allowed to come over to me.

"Baby, oh my God," she whispered.

"Hey," I said quietly, wrapping my good arm around her. "I'm alright."

She hastily wiped a tear from her face, "I'm coming to the hospital with you."

I nodded and leaned in, kissing her cheek. "Okay, did you see anyone else?" I said against her cheek.

She shook her head, but glanced toward the back of the dining room. James was standing there in a waiter's uniform. He smiled a wide, happy grin and jerked his thumb toward the door.

I chuckled and nodded, as I turned toward the paramedic that approached me. "Wow," she said. "I think we should leave this alone until we get to the hospital. Can you walk?"

"Yes, I can walk," I answered.

"Okay, Miss are you coming with us?"

"Yes," Tanya answered.

"Alright, follow me please."

"Mr. Cullen, someone will meet you at the hospital. I wouldn't go anywhere if I were you," suit number one said.

"Mr. Agent Man, you couldn't afford to go to any of the places I have in mind. But my attorney and I will be at the hospital when you arrive." I smiled widely, being very clear that I was neither scared nor guilty of anything, in this instance at least.

"Why are you antagonizing him?" Tanya whispered angrily.

"Because it's fun. Relax, baby. I'm the innocent one this time," I laughed and pulled her closer to me. It's pretty nice having someone by my side. I would never have imagined myself so content with one woman before but, I'm adjusting.

~~edward~~

I feel like I am crawling out of my skin with all of the adrenaline running through my body. And I was getting more and more anxious the longer James took.

It was the most satisfying fucking kill of my life. Felix Aro. The asshole had the nerve to stab my brother and then point a gun in his face. I was ready to shoot him then, but the Feds showing up when they did, was fucking perfect. I couldn't have planned it any better. It distracted everyone just enough that they weren't expecting the shot.

And the fucking shot...The shot was clean, straight to the temple. As soon as I saw the trickle of blood on Felix's temple, I was off of the roof and four blocks away in a little bar, having a beer. Paul walked in a few minutes later with a big fucking smile and a fist bump.

And now we are waiting on James, he needs to fucking hurry up before the police starting walking the neighborhood asking questions.

Just as I lift my glass to take a drink, the blond haired mother fucker walks in. He is all smiles and...is he fucking skipping? I can't help but fucking laugh.

When he reaches us, he pulls me into a tight hug. "Eddo! How's it hangin' man?"

I punch him in the gut, "where the hell have you been? I want to fucking get out of here."

"Yeah, let's go." We walk out of the bar toward his car. "J is on his way to the hospital. That asshole stuck a knife through his fucking hand. Can you believe that shit? In a fucking restaurant! The guy has, _had_, balls. You gotta give him that."

"I don't have to give him shit, asshole."

We get into the car and drive to the club. We sit ourasses down in a booth and order some drinks, toasting each other.

A few girls walk over and I turn away, looking at my watch. I should go home. Bella can help me work off all of this energy. I pull out my phone and open the dialer so I can call my girl.

"Who are you calling, handsome?"

My head tilts to the side and I turn my phone to the girl, Bella's beautiful face on my screen.

When I finally look up, my wife is standing in front of me. I raise an eyebrow and take her in. Tight fucking dress, low cut, almost to her stomach. My eyes travel further down to her beautiful legs and land on my favorite blue shoes.

My eyes travel up her body and to her face. I scoot out of the booth, throw some cash on the table and flash a smile at Bella.

"Want to get out of here, _sweetheart?_" I ask, my voice is rough and my dick is hard. I can only imagine what my face looks like.

Bella hums, "What do you have in mind?"

I turn to Paul and James who look both turned on and amused. "Later, assholes."

They laugh and I wrap an arm around Bella. She is giggling, but still gives the guys a little wave.

Before we get outside, I push Bella up against the wall, my hands on her hips, my tongue in her mouth. "You are too fucking sexy," I say against her lips.

"I thought you were taking me out of here," she whispers.

I groan and push my hips against her. "Fuck," I groan.

When we get outside, the cool air hits me, calms me down a little.

Bella hands the valet her ticket, and I hold her against me. It's cold as hell out here and my girl is in a tiny fucking dress. No jacket.

She has her hands inside of my coat, gripping my waist. Her fingers are making tiny circles on my lower back.

The valet pulls into the drive and puts the car in park. The car shuts off, and because I am so entranced by my beautiful wife, I am not paying attention to that little detail—Until the explosion throws us to the pavement.

~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hi! So? Please let me know what you think.

My apologies for not answering all of your reviews, I was working on the story and figured you guys would prefer another chapter! =) But the reviews are always fantastic and helpful. So thank you so much for taking the time to send me a note. And of course, for taking the time to read. It makes me smile!

I am hoping to update again during the week, not sure when but I will try to get it out as soon as I can. Enjoy!


	33. Chapter 31

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_A million thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading this. It would have been a mess without her._

~~bella~~

Black, everything is dark. But there's beeping. Beep, beep, beep. What is that?...

* * *

><p>Voices, I can hear voices but I don't know who they are. Why can't I focus?<p>

* * *

><p>Edward?<p>

* * *

><p>I try to open my eyes, resistance. My head hurts. I try to move my hand but it's so heavy.<p>

"Bella?" someone cries, "Get the doctor!"

"Bella, sweetheart, we're here. Edward and Matteo are waiting for you, honey. Please wake up,"

Matteo. Oh my God, Matteo. I start to panic. My head is pounding, and I hear my heartbeat in my ears. And then...blackness.

I feel like I'm in a dream, everything is hazy around the edges. I hear humming, machines? My head feels better. I try to open my eyes, it's dark. There is hazy light streaming in from the window. I look around, trying to figure out where I am. The last thing I remember...

* * *

><p>"Edward!" I yell out.<p>

In the corner of the room, someone jumps up and I can see the figure moving toward me.

"No, no, no, no," I whisper, worried about who this person is. When he is next to me, I can see shaggy hair, beard. Tears well in my eyes.

"Isa," the voice says, and my body instantly relaxes. "It's okay, you're okay. Edward is okay."

"Where is he? I need him. Where's Matt?"

"My mom is with Matt and Edward is in the room down the hall," Jasper says quietly.

"I want to see him," I cry.

Jasper wraps his arm around me awkwardly, "Okay, let me call the nurse."

"Don't leave me!" I say loudly, the words echoing around me.

Jasper reaches over and pushes a button. "I'm here, I'm not going to leave you."

The door to the room opens, and a woman walks in. "Ms. Swan, it's good to see you awake." She is putting gloves on and places my chart on the bed. "Let's just take a look, okay?"

She examines me quickly, jotting down things in my chart. "How is your pain?"

I shake my head, "I don't know. I'm okay." I say this as a question, I honestly hadn't thought about pain, but now that I am thinking about it, my shoulder hurts like hell. "My shoulder."

She nods, "Yes, it was dislocated. It will hurt for awhile, you may need some physical therapy." She continues moving around the bed, checking the machines and making notes. "I'm going to call the doctor," she started.

"I want to see my hu..fiancee. Edward Cullen, I want to see him."

She smiled softly, "Let me see what I can do, okay? I need to let the doctor know you're awake."

I slumped back onto the pillow, feeling tired. "Sleep, Isa. I'll wake you up when the doctor gets here."

I'm not sure how long I'm out, but I can hear someone yelling. I roll my neck to the side, I feel so groggy.

"I want to see my wife!" I hear a yell from down the hall. My eyes open wide, and then close again because of the bright light. I feel like I am blind, and that needles are being shoved in my eyes.

Keeping my eyes closed, I whimper, "Edward."

"Hold on, sweetheart," the person next to me whispers. "Okay, I've turned the lights off. Can you open your eyes now?"

I open them slowly, worried that the dim light will be too much. Santo is sitting next to me with Matt in his arms. "He's been waiting for you, and it sounds like Edoardo is throwing a tantrum out there."

The yelling in the hallway comes back into focus. "Why don't they just let him in?"

"He has some bruising of his ribs and back. They wanted to put him in a wheelchair," he says with a lifted eyebrow.

I can't help but smile, "he is a terrible patient."

Santo laughs and the baby looks up at him, "I want to hold him." I say, "Can he lie with me?"

"Naturalmente," he says to me with a smile, "Bambino andiamo con tua madre," Santo says to Matt, giving the baby a big smile. Matteo's little legs are kicking back and forth. (Of course. Baby boy, let's go with your mother.)

Santo lays him on the bed, on the side of my good arm. "Hi baby, I missed you so much. I kiss his little face and hands and laugh as he kicks and makes noise.

"Oh my God," I hear from the doorway, "Bella?" a whisper, almost a sob, escapes from my husband.

"Edward," I sigh, and close my eyes, thanking God that he is really okay.

The nurse pushes the wheelchair next to the bed and Edward scowls at her. She, however, looks amused.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Swan?" she asks.

"Groggy, but okay," I answer.

The nurse smiles and moves around the bed. "Why, hello," she sings to Matteo, tickling his foot. He gives a little smile at the attention. She moves around quickly doing what she needs to do and then slips out of the room.

"I'll be outside," Santo says, kissing my forehead and squeezing the baby's hand. He kissed Edward on the top of the head also, and then leaves the room.

Edward stands up, slowly. He picks up Matt and I move myself to the edge of the bed. Edward climbs in and kisses me. I feel like everything has shifted back into place. Matteo is squeezed in between us and I smile. His little squeals sound happy, his sweet little face showing no signs of distress at the tight hold we have on him.

"I was so worried," Edward says.

"What happened? I don't remember anything after seeing..." I trail off, not wanting to think of what happened. What could have happened. I kiss Matteo's cheek, Edward's hand cups my cheek and I turn my face into his palm. Being unable to move my arm is going to get old really quick.

"When the car..." Edward closed his eyes, "I pulled us behind the valet booth. It took most of the impact but it landed on top of us. I think you tried to catch yourself before you fell," his fingers trailed down my neck to my collarbone. "I took the impact from the valet booth."

"I'm so glad you are okay," I said quietly. "I don't know what I'd do," I squeeze my lips together, but tears run down my cheeks.

"I know, baby. I know, but we're here. Our family," he emphasized the word by kissing both Matteo and me on the cheek, "is okay."

I nod and scoot as close as I can. Edward is wrapped around the two of us and I feel at peace, safe. We stay like this for a long time, not talking but kissing occasionally, watching Matteo as he sleeps between us.

The door opens and a man walks in, "Ms. Swan, Edward," he says, with a smile.

"Hey, Rob," Edward answers, I frown at the both of them. "Rob and I grew up together. He's the family doctor."

My eyes shoot up in understanding.

Dr. Swanson, or _Rob,_ flashes me a smile. Good Lord, does Edward know any ugly people?

"Alright, let's take a look here. Ed get out of the bed and take your son, please," the doctor says, helping Edward up and picking up the baby. He places Matteo in his arms and turns to me. "How are you feeling? Headache, nausea?"

His fingers are touching the back of my head and moving toward my neck. It feels like I have a big lump, and his fingers moving along my neck cause pain to spike through my skull.

He frowns, but keeps going. He looks at my shoulder, removing the sling. "This is going to hurt for awhile. We popped it back into place, but it needs to heal. Try to keep the sling on and don't lift anything. We'll check it again in a few days."

He speaks to Edward for a bit, and then places Matt next to me on the bed. Edward lifts his shirt and I can see that the skin covering his ribs on the left side of his body is black and blue. It wraps around to his back. Tears spring to my eyes, we were so lucky.

After a few more minutes, Dr. Swanson sits down in the chair Edward vacated and Edward is standing beside the bed, holding my hand.

"Okay, here's the deal. Isabella," he says, glancing at Edward. "You're pregnant. It isn't documented in your chart, the ER doctors ordered bloodwork when you first got here, but I intercepted them and took over your patient care. I didn't want to take the chance that someone followed you guys and tried to use it against you," his eyebrows raised. Point made.

"I haven't told anyone in your family, either. They've been a little difficult and I had the nurse kick everyone out. Except Gramps," he laughs, "and Jasper, because he threatened to kick my ass."

I was...stunned. Pregnant. I'm pregnant. I look up at Edward and he's smiling at me, making me smile.

"So what do we need to do?" Edward asks.

"I'll call you with a name of a friend of mine, a good doctor. She's discreet," he was writing something down on a notepad. He ripped of the paper handing it to Edward. "Pick up these vitamins," he turns to me, "I would guess you're are about 4 weeks along, maybe five. Take the vitamins and take it easy. Stress, and the trauma from the accident make your pregnancy high risk at the moment. Have Edward work around the house and help with the kid. He'll be out of commission for at least a week anyway."

"Rob, don't say anything to anyone, alright?" Edward says, quietly. "I want to make sure Bella and the baby are okay before we announce anything."

"Of course, why do you think I've done all of this? I understand how it is," he stood and clapped Edward on the shoulder. "You've got my number, call if you need anything." He turned to me, "Isabella, lovely to meet you. Maybe we can all get together for dinner soon, get to know each other outside of the office?" he chuckled, I blushed.

Edward laughed, and pushed his friend. "Stop flirting with my girl, get the fuck out of here," Rob laughed out loud.

"I'll get your discharge paperwork filled out and you guys should be out of here soon," he waved and walked out of the room.

"Baby," Edward said, "we're having a baby," he looked at Matteo with a big smile, "another baby."

I laughed and Edward helped me sit up. "I want to hug you, love you," he said, once I was in his arms.

"I love you," I smiled into his chest, placing a kiss over his heart. I looked up at him and he had a dopey smile on his face.

He leaned into me, kissing me softly and whispering, "I love you," against my lips.

~~edward~~

I was vibrating with anger. I wanted answers. Someone had tried to kill us, but who?

"Ed, calm the fuck down," Jasper growled at me. "Everyone is pissed off here, not just you. I have the fucking Feds and cops all over the fucking club. And my fucking hand hurts like a bitch."

I snapped my teeth, keeping my mouth shut. I know this shit is fucked up, luckily Jasper doesn't keep anything incriminating in the club. He was able to get rid of all of the weapons by sending them in a box with a 'delivery' guy. The only things he keeps here are records for the club; tax documents, receipts, payroll. The Feds have someone sitting here going through all of his records, looking for anything to use against us. A lawyer from Kate's office is also on the scene, overseeing their investigation.

Jasper rolls his neck. "Alright, I'm going to go back out there and follow that asshole around, make sure he doesn't plant anything. Get a hold of Seth, I need to know what the fuck is going on."

Could it be that this is all just a fucked up mess of the Aros vs. Cullens? They hit us at the same time we hit them? But that would mean they intended to hit us while we were just at the right place at the right time.

That would also mean someone was following us, they knew Bella was at the club, they knew what kind of car she drove. I stop, it also means that the parking for the valet was not being guarded that night.

I tried to remember the kid at the valet podium. My mind was playing back through faces. I walked around Jasper's desk and pulled the day planner he kept with printed schedules of all of his employees.

I flipped through the book. Dancers, bar, bouncers, wait staff, kitchen, cleaning crew, valet.

Thursday night, Giovanni Andrini. Andrini? Why does that sound familiar?

I close my eyes and think back, I know this name. I know this name. Andrini, Andrini, And... No fucking way. No. Fucking. Way.

"FUCK!" I lift the book, wanting to throw it against the wall but just tighten my grip on it.

I drop the book and walk out to find Paul and Emmett in the hallway. "Do you know who Giovanni Andrini is?"

Paul nods, "Yeah, man. He's been working here for a few weeks. Why?"

"Have you seen him lately? Or was he the guy in the car that night?"

"Nah, I saw him yesterday. He usually gets here around ten. What's up, man?"

I narrow my eyes, "Nothing. I need to talk to Jasper."

* * *

><p>Bella was driving me fucking crazy. She's pissed off because she can't move around freely, can't pick up the baby, can't wash her hair. But it isn't really my fucking fault. Rob said her hormones are going haywire right now, but I should not say that out loud, ever, if I wanted to keep my balls attached to my body.<p>

He and his girl are coming over for dinner and Bella is throwing shit around in the kitchen. She can't cook with one arm. And she yelled at me when I offered to help, so I walked away. I'm on the balcony smoking a cigarette, mentally preparing to walk back into the apartment.

When I finally go back inside, it's completely quiet. I'm instantly on alert, and walk quickly through the apartment. Matteo is sleeping in his bassinet, and I can see a light under the bathroom door.

I knock as quietly as I can, glancing at the baby, and turn the knob. Bella is sitting in front of the toilet with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, baby, are you okay? What's wrong?" I ask, concerned. I grab a washcloth from the basket on the counter and soak it with cold water, wringing it out before placing it on Bella's neck. She drops her head onto her forearm.

We don't speak to one another as her body calms down. I help her stand, she closes the lid on the toilet and flushes it.

I rub my hand over the back of my neck, unsure what to do. Things are so awkward, I'm just about to turn and walk out of the bathroom when she finally speaks.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly. "I've been upset about everything that's happened over the past month and it's been building and building. And I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

I reach out and she takes my hand. "I'm also hurt that your family doesn't seem to like me anymore," her eyes are watery and she looks away. "No one visits or asks about Matt."

She takes a deep breath and then shakes her head, "And I have morning sickness. I wanted to make tomato sauce and the smell of the spices made me sick."

"Why don't you let me help? I'm here and offering."

She shrugs, "Stubbornness?"

I laugh, "Okay, stubborn girl. Brush your teeth and let's go work on dinner."

* * *

><p>"Babe?" I call out, buttoning my shirt as I walk out of the bedroom.<p>

Bella is on the floor, papers are all over the place. Matteo is laying on a blanket next to her with some mobile toy thing hanging above him.

"Yeah," she says absently.

"What are you doing?"

Bella looks up at me, and her eyes turn dark as they travel up and down my body.

"Baby, don't start. I don't have time right now," I say, my voice is rough with the ideas flowing through my head. Bella against the wall in the kitchen...

"Wedding stuff. I have to finalize details since no one is really helping me anymore," the sadness creeps back in but she pushes it off quickly. I see she has a list next to her.

"You need me to help?"

"No everything looks okay, Tanya is coming over in a little bit," she shrugs. "We're going to call and confirm everything." She looks at me again, "I have to go get fitted for my dress again, though."

I nod and bend down to kiss her, "I have to run out for a little bit, will you be okay? Should I wait until Tanya gets here?"

"No, go ahead. Be home soon," she smiles and blows me a kiss.

I pinch Matteo's fat foot, "be good, little man."

* * *

><p>I walk into my parents home thirty minutes later. Going straight to my father's office and knocking on the door. My father, Santo and Jasper are already here.<p>

"Sorry I'm late," I say quickly.

"How is Isabella?" My father asks.

I narrow my eyes and shrug. "Fine."

He holds my stare for a moment, before nodding and getting to business.

"Jasper, what have you found out about the explosion?" Carlisle asks.

My brother looks over at me, "Well, Edward found the name Giovanni Andrini on the valet schedule for that night. Andrini is a last name associated with the Buccieri family. I have feelers out, and people are searching for Peter, Charlotte and Marcus Buccieri." He paused, "I know they are blood relatives of Isabella, but I don't think we can ignore the fact that they are involved in this anymore."

Carlisle looked pensive, but nodded. "I agree. Edward," I stood up and walked to the window behind my father's desk. I want them to pay for what they did, for putting Bella and our baby in danger. But I know this is going to hurt her.

"You know this is necessary," my father continued. "We cannot allow an attack on our family with no response. The Aros have history with the Buccieris, and it's obvious that they are all working together."

"Wouldn't it be more believable if it looks like an accident." My mind was in overdrive. "It isn't going to take much for the Feds or cops to see that someone with the last name Andrini is on Jasper's payroll, and then multiple Andrini's start disappearing. We can stage a car accident or something," I took a deep breath, "it will kill Isabella if she thinks we had something to do with this. She may not care for the rest of her mother's family, but Peter and Charlotte were her family for a long time before anyone else came along."

My father paced the room, a distant look on his face, before stopping in front of me and nodding, "You and Jasper come up with a plan." He narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you prepared for the repercussions if Isabella finds out about this down the road? If she finds out you had a hand in their deaths and you didn't tell her? You should think about this long and hard; it could end your marriage." He looked me in the eye, willing me to understand his comment. "Alright, let's move on." He said moving toward his desk, facing the middle of his office.

"The meeting is set for Thursday. We'll need to fly out first thing in the morning."

"Where did they decide?"

My dad huffs, "South Carolina."

I frowned, "Ah, what? Why? Isn't it going to be a little noticeable that all kinds of Italians are invading a little town?"

My father laughs and shakes his head, "I don't know what the fuck they are thinking. They rented out some kind of lodge, fucking idiots. I'm just hoping that the location is discrete. We don't need the fucking cops all over us if one of those assholes decides to start shooting."

"Alright, so we leave early morning and we return that night? What about all of the wives and kids?" Jasper asks.

"Well, Jasper and I are going to be in the actual meeting. I want Edward, Santo, James and Emmett to be near the lodge, just in case. I have Paul in charge of putting crews together to protect our family here."

My father takes a deep breath and blows it out, "I found out this morning that Gianna's family is dead."

My shoulders fall and I feel like a horrible person. I'm sad that the family is gone, but I'm happy that this means Matteo is really ours.

I nod and sit down, resting my head against the back of the couch.

"Okay, what am I to expect? What is expected of me while we are in this meeting?" Jasper asks.

Jasper and I are sitting on the leather sofa, while my father and grandfather sit in leather club chairs across from us. We all lean forward, elbows on knees, focused.

"You do not speak, do not show emotion, do not move. Do not give them anything that may tip them off that you are bothered or angry. You keep your face in mask, interested and not interested at the same time. Because you are next in line, they will be scrutinizing everything about you. They will be searching for weakness, leverage. I will speak, you will listen.

"Do not eat or drink anything while we are there. They will have a huge spread of food and drinks and while some of those motherfuckers don't give a shit what they look like, our family will not look interested in niceties. We are there to solve a fucking problem, bottom line." My father lights a cigar, "Also, I don't fucking trust that they won't put something in the food."

He takes a drink from the tumbler on the table, "We will be taking Daniel Aro with us. I have sent someone out to get him a new suit, so we can show how well we take care of our guests," a sly smile covers his face, "Whether they are dead or alive.

"Everyone already assumes that we have taken out Alec and Felix, and they all know our assumptions about who took out Johnny, Demetri and Gianna," we all cross ourselves at their names.

"So it's confirmed then, Alec was there?"

My father shrugs and gives a quick nod, "the guy I have in CPD called and said they found the Aro family ring in the ashes of the fire. I won't believe it until I see the evidence of bones and teeth, but that is what it looks like.

Antonio Aro is in New York, staying with Alec's family. From the look of things," my father stands and grabs an envelope from his desk. He takes out a stack of pictures and throws them on the table. "He is not happy. He has been digging into everything, and I've heard that quite a few guys have gone missing. He and I have spoken, he knows Daniel is alive and he expects to see him on Thursday."

I nod and look over at Jasper. We maintain eye contact for a few minutes, resolved in what we have to do for each other, for our family.

"Get your things in order. Bring Isabella, Matteo and Tanya here on Thursday morning. We will leave together, separate cars. You know the drill."

We shake hands and hug and go our separate ways.

"Hey Ed, come to the apartment for dinner. Tanya is staying over and I know she and Isa have been cooped up all day wedding planning but maybe we can have some drinks, play cards or something. I'm skipping the club tonight. I need to get my head in the right place for Thursday."

"I'll talk to Bella when I get there," I say and then stop. Jasper looks at me, "Let's go get something to eat."

He frowns, but nods. "Alright, Al's?"

I nod, "Meet you there."

"Edward," my mother calls from the kitchen. I blow out a breath and close my eyes. I haven't talked to her since we got out of the hospital. We were both still hurt from the argument that happened in our apartment.

"Hey Ma," I turned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I know you are still upset with me over what happened in your apartment a few weeks ago," she started.

"Mom," I started but she held up a hand.

"Let me say this, I know you are upset and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I've been treating Isabella. Demetri was like a son to me and his and Gianna's death has hit me really hard. Seeing Bella with the baby just made my skin burn."

I raised an eyebrow ready to argue, but she cut me off quickly.

"Not because I don't think Isabella is a good mother, but because of the circumstances. I've lived this _life_ for a long time Edward, but never have I had someone so close to me taken out in such a cold, heartless way. They," she waved her hands in the air, "Killed a woman with child! And I'm furious, and I don't know how to control it. And I wrongly took it out on your _wife_."

Oh fuck, here we go.

"I am also sad and hurt that the two of you married without your family around you to witness it. I only found out recently, when you were taken, Isabella ripped Carlisle a new ass and let it slip that the two of you were married."

I raised my eyebrow in surprise, "she did what?"

My mother nodded and smiled. "I've never seen anyone, other than me, talk to your father that way. She was so angry that the whole thing was planned and she was used as a pawn. I didn't hear anything after that, I was so caught up in the fact that you married without telling us." She tilted her head, "No, not us. Me. You didn't tell me. Apparently, your grandparents and father knew."

I shook my head, "We didn't tell anyone anything. We wanted to do something for ourselves, to prove to each other that we were in it for the long haul. It wasn't done out of spite."

"I know. I've had a lot of time to think. I'd like to speak to Isabella, to explain," she said quietly.

I shrugged, "She'll be here Thursday. But I won't get involved. You've hurt her, she feels betrayed. And she's been extremely sad that no one has gone out of their way to spend time with Matteo."

My mother nodded and tears welled in her eyes, "I know, but it's hard to see him."

I hugged my mom, letting her cry. I understood her point of view, but my concern was Bella and Matteo. Their happiness and love are all that matter to me.

My mother and I said our goodbyes and I went to the diner to meet Jasper.

* * *

><p>"It's about time asshole. I ordered you a sub," he said as I sat down in the booth.<p>

"Mom caught me as I was walking out," I took a drink of the soda on the table.

He groaned, "How did that go?"

"Alright, whatever. She just explained why she's been so angry lately. But it isn't my mess to fix," I shrugged and moved aside when the waitress brought our food over.

"So what's up?" Jasper asked, after we'd been eating for a few minutes.

I put my sandwich down and wiped my face. "Bella's pregnant."

Jasper's eyes shot up in surprise, and then a wide smile broke out on his face. "Ed," he said happily, "That's great! Congratulations."

I smile and laugh, because I am happy about this.

"Look," I said, serious again. The thoughts that have been plaguing me are coming to the front of my mind at once. I look down at my plate, my throat closes up briefly while I think about what I want to say next. "Jasper," I say quietly, waiting for him to look up at me. When he does, I lean toward him, "If anything happens to me," Jasper shook his head, ready to cut me off.

"No," I said forcefully, "If anything happens to me, I need to know that you will take care of her and the kids. You are my brother, and the only one I trust."

Jasper stared at me for a long time, before nodding and looking away from me. He stared out of the window for a long moment before speaking, "On my life, I promise to take care of them if anything happens."

I finally let go of the breath I'd been holding, long and slow. I nodded. We finished eating quickly, not speaking again.

When we got to our cars, Jasper finally spoke. "You know Ed, we are going to be fine on Thursday. We have proved that we are strong and that we will not tolerate people coming into our city," he shook his head, as if that isn't what he wanted to say. "You are going to be fine, and you will come home to Bella, and announce the pregnancy when things have calmed down." He was quiet for a minute, and a protective look came over his face, "I also have a responsibility to myself, to make sure my little brother is taken care of." He smiles, "So don't you worry about it, we're going to come out of this shit better off than we were when we walked in."

I smiled, feeling emotional at my brothers words. "Yeah, see you later?"

"Yeah, come over around six. I'm going to pick up food, so don't worry about bringing anything."

I waved and jumped in the car, feeling a lot more optimistic than I had a few hours ago.

~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: hi everyone! I hope everyone is having a lovely Labor Day. So a huge surprise in this chapter, right? Let me know what you guys think.

As always, thank you all so much for your reviews. I cannot believe the story has almost hit the 800 mark. This is just amazing to me, I never expected such a response. You guys make my day every time my mail box pings. =) Until next time...

(sorry, I had to remove it and re-post. there were some things removed when I first uploaded it.)


	34. Chapter 32

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_As always, a million thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading and adding commas..._

~~bella~~

"Tanya, stop." I laughed,

"What? It's true. Those women are just jealous of you. You look like a fucking super model and you have a newborn. They don't need to know that you didn't actually give birth to him."

We are sitting in the exam room, waiting for Matt's doctor to give him a quick check up. The doctor's have been really great about helping us try to figure out the right and wrong ways of caring for a newborn, and have also been attentive because of his premature birth. We have also asked Kate to get the adoption paperwork going, so we need to document as much as possible.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket. "Edward?"

"Hey baby, where are you?"

"Oh babe, I'm so sorry. I forgot Matt had a checkup scheduled today. The office called me right after you left, so I asked Tanya to come with me. Gus is downstairs and Emmett is waiting in the lobby."

"Oh, he's not getting shots or anything, right? I want to be there for that," I smile, he's been so great with Matt. He likes to be involved and to know what is going on.

"No, the doctor is just doing a quick check to make sure he's healthy. Do you have anything you want me to ask?"

"No. Just make sure he's okay," he said, I could hear the car door beeping in the background. "Hey, Jasper wants us to come over for dinner. Can you let Tanya know? I don't know if he's talked to her but he said he would pick up food."

"Yes, I'll let her know. I should be home in about an hour."

"Okay, see you in a few. Love you."

"I love you, too. Bye."

"You guys are disgustingly sweet; who would have guessed that Edward Cullen was affectionate?" Tanya says, laughing and jumping away as I swat my hand at her.

"Shut up," I say, as the doctor walks in.

~u~

"Jasper, what is this?" I ask, as I am unpacking the food.

"What?" he looks inside of the containers and frowns. "Shit, I think they gave me the wrong order."

"What did you order?"

"Spaghetti bolognese, ravioli, chicken parmigiana and garlic bread," he opens up another container. "This doesn't look appetizing."

I covered my mouth and swallowed, tears filling my eyes. "Jasper," I croaked. He stopped what he was doing, "Oh shit, I'm sorry!"

Edward pulled my hand, leading me down the hall toward the bathroom. I rushed in and fell to the floor, heaving and emptying my stomach. I was breathing heavily, my forehead resting on my arm, as I reached up to flush the toilet.

I felt cool hands on my neck, "You okay, baby?"

I turned my head slightly to look at him and pouted my lips. "I hate this. I don't like being sick."

"This is only for a little while, right? This part should end soon. We have your appointment next week, we can ask if there is anything we can do to help," he turned on the faucet. I watched as he held his hand under the water, and then placed his hand on the back of my neck again.

I closed my eyes, it was helping. "Thank you," I said quietly. I heard the water shut off and then Edward's arms were helping me sit.

"Are you okay now?"

I nod, and rest my head against the wall. "I get dizzy, you know I don't eat much and all of this vomiting is making me lightheaded."

"What about salty food? Do you think that will help? We can call out for something else," he brushes my hair off of my forehead. "We need to find a way for you to eat more," he said quietly, almost as if he was talking to himself.

"Let's just see what Jasper has in his kitchen, I can make something else for myself," I smile and lift my hands up. Edward takes them and helps me stand. Opening a drawer, he pulls out a travel toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Jasper's a freak about travel sized stuff. He buys toothbrushes and deodorant all of the time."

I laugh and take the toothbrush from Edward.

He leads me out to the living room, and there are three gigantic pizzas sitting on the coffee table. Emmett is sitting on the couch with Jasper and Tanya is walking out of the kitchen with water bottles and soda.

"Isa, I made Jasper throw that food out. It looked disgusting, no wonder you got sick. I didn't want to take any chances. Emmett brought veggie pizza," she lifted an eyebrow and smiled, fishing for a compliment for remembering my favorite pizza.

"Thanks, Tanya. I feel better already," I laughed.

We spent the rest of the night joking and playing cards. Matt was only a month old, but the guys were already teaching him to be a card shark. It was a great night.

~u~

"Can't Matt and I just stay here? The building is secure and it's so cold out," I was whining, I know this, but I really did not want to spend the day with his mother. Horrible, yes. But honestly, I don't need or want the stress.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I know you don't want to go over there, but we really need everyone in one location. It is easier to guard everyone that way. It's only for the day. I'll be back tonight, and we'll come home," Edward was putting the things I'd laid out for Matt into a diaper bag.

Resigned, I picked up the baby who was bundled up like an Eskimo and walked into the kitchen. Grabbing a can of formula, extra bottles and pacifiers.

"Bella," I looked up at Edward's laughing face.

"What?" I asked.

"What the hell is Matteo wearing? He can't even move his arms," he finally let out the loud laugh he'd been holding in.

Matt jumped in my arms at the noise and his little face crumpled. "Oh," Edward cooed, "I'm sorry, little man. I didn't mean to scare you, but you're Mommy put some crazy clothes on you."

"Be quiet, it's cold outside."

Edward was still laughing, "you ready?"

I nodded and Edward placed Matt in his car seat, but snapped a picture with his phone before strapping him in. Poor baby, Edward was right, he did look uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, baby boy. I'm a little crazy," I said quietly and kissed his face. When I stood up, Edward pulled my face to his, kissing me sweetly. "You're not crazy, you're being a good Mom."

I smiled and kissed him again, grabbing the diaper bag and walking toward the door.

~u~

Esme and I were avoiding one another. It was pretty obvious. Tanya was watching us circle around, and take paths that the other wouldn't cross. I could see the glint in her eyes, she wanted to laugh or say something, but she was afraid it would ruin the game.

I rolled my eyes. Matt was waking up, and I was watching as he squirmed. He settled on his stomach and his little lips puckered. Smiling, I covered him with the blanket and turned to walk into the kitchen for a bottle.

As I turned, Esme was standing in the doorway. I straightened and gave her a tight smile. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, this is very uncomfortable. I wish Edward had just let us stay home.

I made a move toward the kitchen, but Esme reached a hand out, "Isabella, can we talk for a moment?"

I frowned, glancing at the baby. "I need to get Matt a bottle."

"I'll grab it," Tanya said cheerfully.

Bitch.

"Isabella," Esme started, and then sighed. "I'm not sure where to start."

I didn't answer her, I had nothing to say. I would not be rude to her in her home and call her out on her behavior. She had hurt me, and my heart had built a wall. Building walls was something I was very good at.

"I'm sorry for how I've been treating you," she said quietly, wringing her hands. "I am very heartbroken with the loss of Demetri and Gianna, and I have not been handling it very well. Every time I see Matteo, I'm reminded that his mother and father are gone."

I straightened my back and furrowed my brow. Is this what I was to expect from everyone? I'm going to be treated badly for something I had no control over?

She must have seen the change in my stance, because she started to backtrack. "No, please don't take that the wrong way. I know that you and Edward are his parents now. I just...," she shook her head, "I am having trouble reconciling the fact that Demetri and Gianna did not have the chance to see this amazing little boy."

I don't know what her small speech was trying to accomplish, she doesn't even know the _amazing little boy _she speaks of. My back was ramrod straight at this point and my face an unemotional mask.

"I have been very alone this past month," she walked over to the sofa to sit down. "Apparently, I am acting like a major bitch and no one wants to be around me."

An unamused chuckle escaped before I could stop myself.

She sighed again. I wonder if she is trying to make me feel bad for her, but all of the sighing is annoying me. "I really am sorry, Isabella. I am not dealing well with all of the things going on. My husband and children are in danger, people are being attacked in my home, cars are exploding in my driveway, I just feel like everything is in chaos around me." She takes a deep breath and let's it out slowly, "I knew that I was being rude to you, but it was like I could not help myself. I was re-directing my anger, and I am very sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I have not been there for you when you needed me the most."

I didn't say anything. I'm not sure what she expects, but I cannot bring myself to say _'It's okay, don't worry about it.' _But I also didn't feel like this was the time to hash it out with her. My husband is off God knows where, in danger, and I can't waste time arguing with her.

"If it's okay, I'd like to help with Matteo today. I need to make some apologies to him as well," her face was sad and her eyes teary. I could see that she felt bad, but I was hesitant.

"I 'm sure he would like that," I said quietly, knowing I cannot keep her away from him. Edward will be upset with me if I don't make a small effort.

Esme nodded and wiped a tear away. I can't imagine it was easy for a woman as strong as she is to admit she was sorry.

Tanya walked back into the room, and she looked visibly upset. I looked at her questioningly and she shook her head. "Here is the bottle, it's not too warm is it? I put the bottle in a bowl of hot water to evenly heat it."

I took the bottle from her, shaking it and the testing it on my wrist. "It's great, thank you."

"Good, now let's wake up little man. I want to hug and kiss him," she said with a smile and a squeeze to my arm.

~u~

It was nine o'clock and the guys weren't back yet. My phone hadn't left my hand all afternoon. Tanya and I were pacing, like caged lions. We couldn't just sit still.

I'm curious about what causes Tanya's uneasiness, is she worried about Jasper? Is she anxious because she's been stuck inside all day. Or is it all of the guards around the house that are bothering her? I want to know, but I don't want to ask. Mostly, because I don't want to have to voice my own fears.

Matt cries and I jump up, "Hello baby boy, what's wrong?" I coo and cradle him in my arms. He calms down and snuggles into me. I grab an extra blanket from the portable crib and sit with him on the couch. I run my fingers over the soft hair on his head.

Matt will not even be a year old when the baby arrives. I can't help but smile at the thought. I'm going to have a baby. Edward and I are going to have a baby, with his beautiful eyes and my hair.

I cannot wait until he starts growing, my belly swollen with him. I want to feel him moving and see pictures of him sucking his thumb. When I am alone, I read anything I can find about pregnancy. And Matt is my study guide on newborns.

I want to be prepared, but if I've learned anything so far, it's that one can never be prepared for a newborn. None of the books can really prepare you for a colicky baby, or sleep deprivation. Books don't tell you that it is a real possibility you will fall asleep while carrying your child, or that sometimes the crying makes you so angry and crazy that you want to scream.

But on the other side of that, it doesn't even come close to explaining the overwhelming amount of love your entire being holds for the small child.

The men sitting in the outer rooms jump up and move toward the windows. "Get back, go into the dining room," one of them yells.

Tanya and I jump up, I grab Matt's pacifier and we move quickly to the dining room, Esme's also comes in along with a few other people that have been hanging around all day. Suddenly, my anger at Esme is non-existent. She, Tanya and I were holding on to each other. Rachel, Paul's girlfriend, walked over to us and we included her in our little group.

Gunshots rang out around us. Esme pushed us toward the basement, I carefully walked with Matt in my arms, tears running down my cheeks.

Tanya's hand was on my shoulder, helping me keep steady as we made our way down the stairs.

Esme spoke to someone and then turned on a flashlight. "Follow me," she said calmly, her hand on my forearm. "Try to keep Matteo quiet, it echoes."

I nodded, she was very calm and in control. My God, what has this woman been through.

We walked toward a door and just as we moved through the doorway, a huge boom echoed through the house and the walls shook. "GO! GO!," Esme yelled, and slammed the door shut behind us.

~~edward~~

Sitting in a car for hours on end is boring. We could hear what was going on in the meeting though. Jasper had called my phone when it started, and now we were listening to the other families complain about how much money we made, and how we were monopolizing the city, blah, blah, blah.

Where the hell did they get this shit? Who else has ever shown an interest in Chicago? Fucking Alec Aro. Asshole.

I wonder what the hell he had been telling everyone. Lucky for us, I'm a smart asshole that knows how to move money and downplay shit. There is a family of Faccinelli's out there in the world that have no connection to the Cullen name. Well, at least, not according to the outside world.

"Dude, what the fuck? Are they just dragging this shit out? Hey haven't said anything of importance in a long fucking time," James said. James, my cousin on my mother's side, is also a smart, conniving asshole.

Fuck.

We looked at each other at the same time, and scrambled out of the car. "Pops, text Carlisle or Jasper, and call the house," I said, quietly. Emmett, James and I walked around the lodge, trying to keep our steps light so as not to draw attention to ourselves.

There were a few guys standing outside with weapons, smoking cigarettes. They didn't look too concerned.

"How the fuck are we supposed to see inside there?" I whispered.

James was looking around the grounds. There was a ladder on the side of the building, it looked out of place. Had someone set it there and forgotten about it, or was someone on the roof?

"I'm going to go up there," James said quietly. "Emmett hold the ladder, Ed keep a look out."

We nodded as he moved up the ladder. When he reached the top, he ducked quickly and then popped up and shot off two rounds.

"Fuck!" I growled under my breath.

The two guys from the front ran around the side, and I took them both out. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Jasper, _GET OUT NOW._

~~jasper~~

My phone was still on the call to Edward. I would glance down quickly when my father would speak. But otherwise, I didn't move an inch.

My phone buzzed. I tapped my father's foot and he reached inside of his jacket, pulling out a cigarette. "Jasper," he said, quietly.

I reached in my pocket while angling the phone at my father. I pulled the lighter out of my jacket and then lifted it to light the cigarette. My fathers face was fierce. Fuck. When I put the lighter back into my pocket, I glanced at the screen of my phone. _GET OUT NOW._

Jesus...

No one looked uneasy, not one damn person. I adjusted my coat and smoothed out the front, Antonio Aro was watching me.

I looked up at him, not breaking eye contact. I refused to look away first. He smirked and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

The doors burst open and gunfire burst through the room. I threw my father down and pulled my gun, shooting anything in my line of sight. My shot was a little off, since I didn't have the full use of my right hand. But a little shaky shooting isn't going to stop me.

My father scrambled to get up, pulling his gun from the strap on his ankle. There was a window on the wall behind us, about twenty feet away. I looked around again and when I got to the window again, I saw Edward and Emmett standing there, shooting through the broken window.

Thank fuck.

My father looked at me questioningly, and I nodded to the window.

It had quieted down, most likely from the quantity of dead guys and from those of us keeping low to the ground. My father was moving in a crouch, stopping behind a chair. I followed and chanced a glance at the room. There were a few people left, and a lot of people on the floor.

"Alright, everyone calm the fuck down," Antonio Aro yelled out. "Put down the guns and let's be rational."

Several people stood up, Aro was not one of them. I looked around the room, again. It didn't look like any of the major players were hurt. Interesting. A random shoot out breaks out in the meeting, and not one of the heads of family is injured? They fucking set us up.

I saw a head of blond hair sneak inside of the room. I smiled. I know who you are.

I put a hand on my father's shoulder. "Stay down," I said, and stood up holding my gun loosely in my hand.

I looked at each man left standing in the room, all of their guards dead. Three of them holding guns. Aro was now sitting in a chair, and Daniel wasn't in the room anymore. My eyes locked on Aro but I kept the other men in my periphery. Edward and Emmett were outside, behind me to my left and James was hiding away.

I moved around the chair and sat, mirroring Aro. His eyebrow raised, as if I was disrespecting him. I chuckled, and kept eye contact, _who the fuck are you that you deserve my respect?_

His eyes hardened, as did mine. My face was back in the mask it was earlier.

"Alright, boy," Aro said.

"Boy?" I asked, with a surprise face and a quirk to my mouth. "Is that what you call the son of the head of the Cullen family now? I am not a servant." My eyes were hard on his.

I had a gun in my hand, a gun strapped to my calf, and a knife in my pocket. My father had two guns behind me. Emmett, Edward and James would also be strapped. I flexed the fingers on my right hand, wondering how much damage I would cause if I tried to use it.

Everyone was standing still, watching Aro and me. Aro smiled, and shook his head. "You young people think you know everything, don't you? Didn't your father teach you to respect you elders?"

I smiled, and I'm guessing it looked a little twisted because Aro's face faltered a bit. "Yes, _sir,_" I said, emphasizing the word. "Mio padre mi ha insegnato a rispettare chi mi rispetta, non importa che età." (My father taught me to respect those who respect me, no matter what age.)

Aro's eyes narrowed at me. This was not going as smoothly as he'd hoped. It was only a matter of time before he made a move.

"Listen, Little Cullen, this is a meeting between men. You are not needed here," he said, almost growling with anger. He was trying to make me look young and naive.

I smiled, "Well, if I hadn't been concerned that an attempt would be made on my father's life, I wouldn't be here. What happened, no one in the room is a good shot?" I asked, waving the gun in my hand around the room. A few of the men ducked, making me laugh out loud.

I look like a lunatic, I know this. I want people to see this, to see me out of control. I want them to fear me.

I wave the gun around again, making everyone nervous. Aro does not look pleased, but his eyes focus on Micah Fratelli. I lift my gun and shoot, hitting Micah in the head, and then turn my gun on Aro.

He barely flinched at the shot, and turned his eyes back toward me. "Anyone else? Or was Micah supposed to do the deed?"

The remaining men in the room looked nervous, and some looked pissed. There are ten head's of family here. One is dead, leaving nine.

The four men that looked pissed off, made their way to our side of the room. The remaining three stayed in place, looking back and forth between Aro and me. My father had stood up at some point, and had a hand on my shoulder.

My brother and Emmett walked in through the double doors, a gun in each hand, backs against the wall.

My smile grew bigger and I turned back to Aro. "So? Was it just Micah? Or are there other, uomini avidi here? (greedy men)

Michael Avolino shifted slightly and a gunshot sounded, dropping him quickly to the floor.

"Oh ho,ho ho," I yelled out, "this is fun!"

Aro did not look happy, or secure in his stance.

I stood, and took my place next to my father.

"Aro, è questo il modo di operare adesso? You set this up in an attempt to take me out?" Carlisle says, his voice is eerily quiet. (Is this how you operate now?)

Aro chuckles, and opens his mouth to speak but my father lifts his gun and lets off a shot.

"I was not finished. My family has endured enough of your bullshit. You and your sons are a disgrace to what we have here. Moving into another man's territory, dealing in his area, attempting to kidnap our wives, shooting at my son in church," my father was listing shit to make the other men think twice about their allegiances.

No one wants to lose money, or have their families threatened for territory.

Aro stood, and he had a gun in his hand. It was shaky and I was sure that if he shot it would be wild. I put a hand on my father's shoulder.

"I am a disgrace? No! No!," Aro lost his cool amazingly quickly. "You, Carlisle, you and your family have done nothing but cause problems. Felix and Alec are dead! Because of you, because of your family!"

Carlisle laughed, "because of me? No. I didn't invite them to Chicago." Carlisle was pointing at his chest. "I didn't invite them into a church in Italy where my son and his fiance were receiving a blessing for their marriage, I didn't kidnap your son! Or blow up my nephew and his pregnant wife!" Carlisle was red with rage and his voice echoed in the room.

"I did nothing wrong, I protected my family. And yours too, or did you forget? Daniel was returned to you fairly unharmed, was he not?"

Then everything happened in slow motion, the double door opened, Aro lifted his gun toward my father.

"POLICE!"

A gunshot, I threw my father on the ground, and several shots went off at once. When I looked up, Antonio Aro was falling backward, multiple holes in his chest. But he was still looking at me as he squeezed the trigger.

~~edward~~

"NO!" I yelled, jumping toward my father and Jasper. I pushed Jasper down and he landed with a thump and I felt something burn my arm.

I looked around, it was chaos. The police that had opened the door to the room had backed out once the shots rang out.

"Are you guys okay? We have to get the fuck out of here," I said quickly, ignoring the pain in my arm. We all stood and made our way toward the opposite side of the room. As we passed by Antonio Aros body, I put one more shot in his head. No need to wonder if he's coming back.

James opened a door, and ushered us inside. There was a hallway, that looked like it led to bedrooms. He ducked into a room and ushered us inside once it was cleared.

"Window! Go!" he said gruffly. I looked out of the window and there was no one there. I opened it and jumped out, holding my gun in my good arm as I waited for them to follow me out.

We trekked through the trees, making our way back to the car. It seemed too easy, there were no other police around. We kept our eyes focused, our ears straining to hear anything around us. Fucking Aro, he set us up.

When we reached the car, Santo yelled, "Hurry up! We need to go now!"

We quickly jumped into the car, Emmett and James sitting in the third row, Jasper and I in the second.

Santo took off on the bumpy road, I hissed, my arm was throbbing and the bouncing in the car was making it worse. Carlisle reached back giving me two pills.

"Take these for the pain," he said. I popped them dry.

Jasper ripped off the sleeve off of my shirt, looking at my arm. "It looks like it went right through. Fuck," he growled. He ripped of the sleeve and tied it around my arm. He pulled his jacket and shirt off, and then used the shirt to control the flow of blood from my arm.

I was feeling lightheaded. "I need to talk to Bella."

"Call Rob. Tell him to meet us at the house," my brother instructed.

"The women are not answering. That asshole Phil, told me something was going on at the house. The women were busy or some shit. But I could hear yelling and gunfire in the background."

I closed my eyes, fuck. "Bella, the baby."

"What the hell did you give him? He's fucking out of it."

"It's the blood loss."

I vaguely remember being helped out of the car and on to an awaiting airplane and then hearing Jasper demanding bandages and peroxide.

In a haze, I saw Bella's beautiful face before everything went black...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hello everyone! Awesome response to the last chapter. I think I happy danced every time I saw a new review come in. You guys are amazing! And welcome to the new readers that found us. I am truly happy to hear from all of you. My apologies for not responding to all of the reviews, this week was a little crazy for me.

Okay, so are you guys on overload? What did you think? Sorry for the cliffie, but you know how it goes...

until next time =)


	35. Chapter 33

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

~~jasper~~

The wound doesn't look bad. I went right through his arm, I hope it didn't do any damage to the muscle.

"Hey, get me some water. Ed's starting to come around," I yelled out, not speaking to anyone in particular.

I am hoping Edward just passed out because of the crash from the adrenaline, the pills Carlisle gave him, and the loss of blood; all at one time. A wound like this wouldn't normally cause him to pass out, but it was pretty fucking intense for a minute there.

"Jas," Ed croaked.

Emmett gave me a bottle of water, I opened it quickly. "Hey, man. Can you sit up?"

He nodded and adjusted himself slowly. I handed him the open bottle and he took it, drinking greedily.

"Gentlemen, please buckle your safety belts. We will be descending into Chicago shortly," the flight attendant said quietly.

"Thanks," Edward said. "How bad is it?"

"Flesh wound, I think. We called Rob."

He nodded but stayed quiet. He was worried about Bella and the babies._ I_ was worried about Bella and the babies. It would kill my brother if something happened to them.

"Okay, look. We've got a few minutes. Let's make a plan," I called out to everyone. It was time to flesh out the plan Carlisle and I discussed.

"We have two cars at the airport, we will need to check them before we can start them," I look over at James, who nods."We drive to the house. If there were gunshots going off like Santo says, we will have to loop around. We'll go to the hunting cabin and enter the house through the tunnel. Take whoever is still there by surprise."

Edward is as white as a ghost and he's grinding his teeth. I pat him on the back, "I'm sure they're okay."

He nods, "I think we should loop through the hunting cabin anyway. We will be able to see or hear what is going on from there. And it will keep anyone from seeing us as we pass the house."

We all agreed and went over what weapons we had on us, and how we would attack the layout of the house. It's a fucking big house and there are only six of us.

Half an hour later, we are in the cars. I turn my phone on and it starts buzzing and beeping like crazy.

I start listening to messages, "Jas, where are you guys? There are fucking goons all over the place here. We've taken some of them out but they are hiding in the woods. Fuck," I heard Paul grunt, and then gunfire and the line disconnected.

"Shit, Emmett hurry the fuck up. We need to be there now!"

Edward is listening to his messages. His hand is shaky, no doubt from the pills he took earlier.

"Ed, when we get to the house, I want you to stay with whoever is in the hunting cabin." He started to protest but I held up my hand, "Man, you're fucking arm has a hole in it and your shaky from the fucking pills Pops gave you. Do me the favor, alright? You can shoot anyone that walks into the fucking cabin if it makes you feel better."

He narrowed his eyes at me, but nodded. and showed me a text message. _We r relaxing the cabin, ru on ur way? _I let out a sigh of relief and tapped him on the chest before turning to look out at the night sky.

It was almost ten thirty, Bella's text was forty-five minutes ago.

~~u~~

We were traveling along the back road, headed toward the cabin and I could see a big black cloud rising from the property.

"No," I whispered, as I opened the window looking up at the sky. The car sped up and we could see the little cabin ahead. Emmett pulled off the road and we waited for the other car to park next to us.

In groups of three, we walked around to opposite sides of the cabin. I was hesitant to look in any of the windows. My mother and Bella were very familiar with guns and I didn't feel like being shot at right now.

I looked over at Edward, "send Bella a text so they don't shoot us."

He smirked and pulled out his phone.

~~bella~~

The tunnel is dark, and we are following the dim pinpoint light of Esme's flashlight.

She was walking quickly through the corridor and we were following like ducklings.

Tanya was holding my hand, while I gripped Matt with the other. My shoulder was still tender, but I refused to let it limit me. It would seem that it's a good thing I'm so stubborn, we will need all of the help we can get tonight.

After about ten minutes, the light flashed brightly on something in front of us. My step faltered.

"Everyone stay to the left side, the right side of the stairs creak. Do not make any noise. Isabella," she whispered loudly,"are you okay with Matteo?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Alright, let's go. Remember, stay to the left."

Esme was in full Cullen mode as we followed her up the stairs, stopping at the landing.

"Okay, who here can handle a gun besides Isabella?"

When no one answered, she sniffed and looked at each of us. "Okay, Isa, give Matteo to Tanya. Tanya, keep him comfortable and quiet."

She opened a panel on the wall behind her revealing a small arsenal of hand guns. I carefully handed Matt over to Tanya, making sure his blanket was tight around him. And then I turned toward the panel.

Esme picked up a gun and checked the chamber, before placing it in the back of her pants. She did the same with a few more of the guns before handing me two of them.

I copied her actions, and placed one in the back of my pants and grasped the other in my hands, getting a feel for it.

"Isabella and I will walk out first and make sure the room is clear. Isa, it is just one big room, and a bathroom. Let's make sure there isn't anyone in the main room and then we will check the bathroom together. No lights, we can't afford to have someone see it."

I nodded, "Okay, I will take the right side of the room."

"Ready?" she asked. I nodded again and she opened the door slowly.

It was quiet, and the room was bathed in moonlight making it easier for us to see. We slipped inside the door, closing it behind us.

A quick sweep of the room showed no one hiding in the shadows. We stood next to the bathroom door. Esme looked fierce, her face a mask of concentration. She gestured toward the door and bent her knees next to the handle.

I stood on the other side. I would be able to see anyone through the opening between the hinges.

She threw the door open and flipped the light switch. My eyes were sensitive to the sudden brightness, but I was able to concentrate enough to see that the room was empty.

I let out the breath I'd been holding, relieved.

Esme walked into the bathroom to make sure and then shut off the light.

She walked over to me and gripped me in a tight hug, we were both trembling. "Alright," she said quietly, "Let's move the others in and decide what to do next."

I squeezed her quickly, and nodded.

Once everyone was settled, we decided to try texting Jasper, Edward and Carlisle. Hoping one of them would answer.

I sent a note to Edward, _We r relaxing the cabin, ru on ur way?_

I let out a breath and sat next to Tanya. She sent a message to Jasper and then pocketed her phone. I leaned in to kiss Matt, and then let my head fall against the back of the couch.

A little while later, the sound of tires on the gravel alerted all of us. Esme pointed me toward the window near the door. I stood off to the side, in the darkness. A set of headlights pulled off into the trees, but I couldn't make out the model of the car. The gun was gripped tightly in my hand, aimed at the floor.

I heard Matteo let out a little whine, and Tanya's quiet whispers.

A second set of lights made its way up the road before pulling off onto the opposite side of the road.

"Esme?" I called.

"Everyone get back into the stairwell."

Tanya, Rachel and Marcy hurried to the door. Tanya's eyes were wide with fear and she was gripping Matteo tightly. I nodded, "go!"

Esme and I held our positions in the shadows near the front door. After a few minutes, my nerves were jumpy and I was getting impatient.

Three figures made their way toward the house. Two were slim, tall and one was huge, towering about the others.

"Could it be them, Esme?" I whispered. Meaning Edward, Emmett and Jasper.

"I can't tell! I can't see them clearly," she also sounded jumpy.

They slowed as they approached the door, and then one of them turned toward the road, the moonlight catching his face.

"Edward," I said quietly.

I pulled out my phone, and hit the dialer.

He reached in his pocket. Relief flooded my body, Thank God.

"Bella," he said quietly.

"I'm right near the door," I answered. He moved quickly telling the guys that we were inside. I still had my gun pointed at the floor, as did Esme. The door opened slowly.

I raised my gun slightly, not in a threatening way, but just to be sure.

"Bella," he called out quietly.

A quiet sob escaped me and he turned in my direction.

"Oh thank God, are you okay?" he pulled me into his arms.

~~edward~~

I leaned around the corner, slowly, not wanting to startle her. Her silhouette showed that she was in fact armed; good girl.

"Bella," I called quietly. A sob sounded to my left, and I turned toward the noise holding my hands out.

"Oh, Edward," she cried quietly. "Oh thank God, are you okay?"

When I reached her she pulled me into a hug and I yelped. "Oh my God, what happened?"

My mother had Jasper in a tight hug, but moved quickly into Carlisle's arms when he entered the room.

"Edward, what happened to you?" Bella asked, quietly.

"It was a set up. The meeting. Antonio Aro was planning to take us out. We think the meeting was just a ploy to separate all of us. What happened at the house? We saw smoke."

My mother spoke up, "We were sitting in the living room when the guards around the house started yelling and sent us to the dining room. Once the gunfire rang out, I ushered everyone into the basement and we made out way to the tunnel. What sounded like a bomb went off and I shut the door, locking us in and we came here. We haven't been here long."

"A bomb?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes, it was a big boom and the walls in the basement shook," I looked toward the voice, Tanya. Jasper was next to her and she was holding Matteo.

I walked over and gave her a quick hug before looking at our little man. He was squirming around, probably hungry.

Bella walked over and hugged Jasper tightly, whispering in his ear, before taking Matteo from Tanya.

"What do we do now?" Bella asked

"Let's load everyone up in the cars and go to the apartment. Jasper, get on the phone, see who you can reach and what you can find out. Edward, call Seth. See if the police are involved, find out what he's heard. When we get to the apartment, I have a plan to discuss, but we need to know who's alive so we can come up with a strategy."

We started moving everyone out of the cabin, and I paused when we were outside. "Where is Nonna Cesca?" Did no one else notice she wasn't here.

Bella looked at me, "She's at the apartment, Edward. I've been checking in with her all day."

Jesus, I was relieved my grandmother wasn't here today. I pulled Bella back into my arms. "I'm so glad you're okay."

~~u~~

Rob had come and gone quickly. He looked at my arm, gave me a shot, did a little sewing, handed me a bottle of pain pills and told me to come to his office in a couple of days.

Bella wouldn't leave my side. Now that we'd been in the apartment and all of the adrenaline was leaving her system, she was nervous. Jumpy. And she didn't want Matteo or me out of her sight.

I handed her a gun and kissed her forehead. "Baby, I have to go to this meeting. I will be right inside Carlisle's office."

She nodded and bit her lip, "Okay." She took a deep breath, "Okay. I will be sitting right here, on the couch waiting for you."

"Alright, baby," I leaned in and kissed her softly. "I have my phone, if you need anything."

"Okay," her head was bobbing up and down quickly. Jesus, I can't leave her like this. My grandmother walked into the room.

She pulled me down and kissed my cheek, "Go. I will sit here with Isa."

Relieved, I kissed my grandmother and Bella once more before going into the office.

~~u~~

When I walked into the office, Carlisle was on the phone. So I sat next to my brother and waited. After a few moments, he hung up and nodded at my grandfather.

"Okay, we're going to take out New York."

Holy shit. That is not what I was expecting him to say.

Jasper sits forward, knees on elbows. "How are we going to pull that off?"

"Target locations. One hour. Four crews. We move in at eleven o'clock, and are on a plane by midnight."

.

.

.

.

_Vinnie's Bakery-Brooklyn, 11:00PM, November 14th _

There are a group of people inside, sitting at the counter drinking coffee. Aros, no doubt, discussing their business for the day.

The man behind the counter keeps checking the register, and looking inside the drawer underneath it. Checking the shelves underneath the long counter.

"What the fuck are you doing?" one of the guys questions, laughing.

"Sounds like there's a fucking cricket in here. Do you guys hear that? What the fuck?"He walks away from the counter and picks up a spray can. He shakes the can and when he sprays, a bottle flies through the window.

The man hasn't stopped spraying, the bottle is on fire and the liquid from the insect spray catches the flame.

The clicking noise is the bomb planted at the end of the counter, and it goes off at the same time the bug spray catches the fire on the bottle rocket, causing the windows of the bakery to blow out.

The cars parked directly in front of the bakery become slightly airborne and flip over, catching fire. The motorcycle in front of the bakery window blows and flies into the air before landing in the middle of the road.

Little explosions are going off inside of the bakery now. The gas lines, flammable liquids, the drugs in the basement.

And two men are walking down the street, jumping into a black car waiting on the corner.

.

.

.

_Alec Aro's home – 11:10pm, November 14th _

The house is lit up like it's daytime, people are all over the place. Alec's wife and kids are nowhere in sight, word is that they went to Italy to stay in the family estate until this blows over. It wasn't verified. The men didn't really give a shit.

There are four gas barbeques on the patio, just outside of the kitchen. There are two fire pits along the edge of the lawn.

Most of the guys are drunk or high at this point. No one is here to keep them in check and they are all completely fucking clueless.

It was easy to slip in and cut the gas lines, no one even noticed. The men split up and one walks toward the edge of the lawn, pulling the bottles out of his jacket. Four total. Another guy was doing the same thing on the other side of the property. The gas lines for two of the barbeques were directly attached to the kitchen.

He checks his phone, 11:15pm. He lit the cloth hanging out of each bottle. And tossed them one by one.

One bottle went through the kitchen window, one near the barbeque, and one simply rolled until it touched the feet of one of the goons.

"What the fuck is this?"

Then he threw the last bottle into the fire pit, before running the hell away from the house.

BOOM! The explosions sounded, throwing the man across the lawn. He scrambled and jumped up, running away from the house. More explosions sounded. And within two minutes, the guys were in a car on their way to the airport.

.

.

.

_Felix Aro's apartment – 11:15pm, November 14__th_

The condo was not difficult to access. There was a doorman and security guards, and that made it a little difficult, but not impossible.

The men, posing as friends of party goers, gained easy access into the building. Once inside, they moved quickly through the stairwell, avoiding the elevator and checking for cameras.

When they reached the third floor, they jimmied the lock and used their handy alarm code attachment to turn off the home alarms system.

They carefully placed two timed bombs in the apartment to make sure that it would blow thoroughly. They reset the alarm and walked out of the apartment, running into their group of friends.

"Hey man, let's hit up 230 Fifth," one of the guys called out.

The women screamed and led them all to the elevator and back out into the night.

When they were a few blocks away, they heard the Boom! And then sirens blaring.

While their new friends stopped, the two men continued walking. A black sedan stopped in front of them, they jumped in and the car sped away.

.

.

.

_Warehouse-Queens – 11:20pm, November 14th _

The street was fairly empty, warehouses ran the length of the street. The corner property had three large steel doors.

The windows were covered, not easily accessible, but there was a ventilation system. The men climbed onto the roof. They had backpacks with them, filled with C4. The plan was to take out the entire corner property that belonged to the Aros.

The warehouse was deserted, as they knew it would be. The men worked quickly leaving enough length on the fuse so that they could get out of the buildings before they blew.

As they walked across the street the first explosion happened. They continued walking, shoulders hunched, hoodies covering their heads listening for the other three bombs to go off.

Number two went off along with a siren. Then number three, with a brightness that lit up the wet asphalt in front of them.

And when the last bomb went off, they were jumping into the car that waited for them at the corner.

.

.

.

_Wicker Park, Chicago – 10:30pm, November 14th _

Edward, Isabella, Jasper and Tanya were walking out of Bin Wine Cafe in Wicker Park after having a nice dinner at Lucia.

The couples were laughing and chattering loudly. Isabella was talking to Tanya about Matteo, while squeezing Edward's hand tightly. Edward was standing behind Isabella, one hand wrapped around her upper torso, while the other hand was resting protectively over her stomach.

Jasper gave Edward a sly wink, before pulling Tanya against him and kissing her, bending to whisper in her ear.

Two police cars and a black sedan pulled up to the curb in front of them. Lights and sirens on.

"Edward Cullen, Jasper Cullen," the detective called out loudly. Jasper was already handing Tanya everything in his pockets, as was Edward with Bella.

"You're wanted for questioning," two uniformed officers stepped up to them as if to cuff them.

"Hey, we don't need that," Edward called out to them. "We didn't protest the detective's request."

Edward leaned in and kissed Isabella sweetly, "I love you," he said out loud and then whispered in her ear. "Call Kate."

The men knew why there were being picked up, which is exactly why they had been in the city with their beautiful women this evening. The brothers looked at each other and smiled.

If this was any indication, New York was a done deal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: hi everyone! I hope you are having a great week so far. Thanks so much for all of the reviews last chapter. You guys are absolutely amazing! I apologize if I missed a response to any of you. But please know I read and loved every one of them. Your reviews have been very positive and keep me motivated to keep writing. So thanks so much.

I hope you like this one, the next chapter won't be too far behind.

As always, thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading/editing this for me. You are awesome.


	36. Chapter 34

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading/editing this for me._

_~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~_

Walking quickly out of his office, the Captain looked toward the interrogation room to confirm that the Cullen brothers were being questioned. He looked up at the monitor outside of Room 1.

Jasper Cullen was sitting in the room, a bottle of water and a cigarette hanging from his lips. He was smirking at the detectives in the room with him.

"Son of a bitch," he whispered under his breath. Fucking Feds, fucking suck up detectives.

The Captain moved toward Room 4, finding Edward Cullen on the camera above the door. He was the picture of cool. He had a slight smile on his face as he played with his watch. He would chuckle every now and then at something said to him, but didn't say a word. This guy had that look about him that said he knew the game and he wasn't going to be intimidated by a fucking cop

I walked into the bullpen, "Who the fuck authorized anyone to pick up the Cullens?"

Everyone got quiet. Clearwater finally answered me. "Sir, the Feds stepped in. They went straight to the Chief and he sent Martinez and two patrol cars."

"Fuckers," the Captain grumbled as he walked back to his office.

He slammed his office door, just as his personal cell phone started ringing.

"Fuck!" he yelled, before answering.

"Hey, Cap."

"Hey, I'll keep them comfortable until your girl gets here. I just found out about this, I was kept in the dark," he grumbled. He would be raising hell on this one.

He may not agree with the Cullens way of making a living, but they kept their shit tight. There weren't dead bodies flying everywhere or drugs running rampant on the street. And as long as they weren't interfering with his job, he didn't care too much.

But the fucking Aros coming to town had the Feds sitting in his precinct just waiting to catch a break. IA was also wandering around, looking for someone to investigate.

"Alright, keep me updated," Carlisle answered, and hung up.

~~edward~~

I've been sitting in this room for about twenty minutes. I hope Bella and Tanya are okay. Carlisle arranged for a car meet us at the Wine Cafe, so I'm sure they are fine. I wish I had my phone so I could check in with Bella, just to make sure.

The past week has been crazy. We've been planning like crazy to make sure everything in New York went off without a hitch. Everyone in the family was on board. We didn't have a single person that disagreed with the plan, or argued with the way it was planned out.

The guys really came through, making suggestions to improve or speed up what was planned, ensuring that all of our people came home safe and unharmed. It was a good plan. And I am assuming it went off without a hitch if they have Jasper and me sitting here. I look at my watch, 10:53pm. I smile; they even got done with time to spare.

The door opens and I tilt my head toward the entrance. An agent, a newbie from the looks of him, is standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Huh, cocky. He's in for a surprise.

"Cullen," he says, I lift an eyebrow but don't speak.

"I'm Agent Malone, FBI."

I remain quiet.

He clears his throat, "I have some questions for you."

I smile and tilt my head, ask away.

"Where were you between 10:00pm and 10:30pm tonight?"

I laughed. What an idiot. Did he forget that detectives from this precinct picked me up in Wicker Park?

I don't have time for this asshole. I lean forward, "I want my attorney." I sit back in my chair, with a smile and look at my watch again.

The agent is sitting across from me, trying to stare me down. And I'm so fucking happy, I chuckle. My mind starts to wander...

I'm glad I had dinner earlier, and the wine is mellowing me out nicely. I wonder if Daniel Aro has contacted my father yet. It'll be nice to finally sleep with Bella tonight. I hope Matteo stays asleep...

~~jasper~~

I am walking around the room, completely bored. I am not one to sit still for long. I don't even have someone to talk to. Kate gets really pissed at me when I talk, but I can't help it. I'm a talker!

I look toward the reflective window and walk over. I knock on it loudly, "anyone planning on coming in here? I'm bored."

Nothing.

I start pacing again. I wonder if anyone's gone in to talk to Ed yet. He was pretty fucking happy on the car ride over here. That detective was pretty pissed off that we didn't seem nervous about being dragged to the station.

The door opens, "Fucking finally."

I pull out the chair and sit down, leaning forward and folding my hands on the table. I felt like a fucking kid waiting for an assignment.

The agent looks a little alarmed. He's probably in his fourties been around a while, knows how this works. I wonder who authorized bringing us in. This guy seems to know it's pointless.

"Mr. Cullen," he says slowly, "I'm Agent Gainford."

I reach a hand out to shake, he frowns but takes my hand and nods. "Very polite."

"Yes sir, my mother taught me well," I chuckle.

"So Mr. Cullen, a few questions for you."

"Ask away."

"Where were you tonight between 10pm and 10:30pm?"

My back straightens, "Really? That's your question? Fuck, I was expecting something more cutthroat." I sit back in my seat, deflated. "Well, a detective picked us up outside of a wine bar in Wicker Park at exactly 10:30 pm. I would guess we got there around 9:45pm."

"Doesn't that place close at ten?" he asked, looking really interested. What the fuck? Is he seriously asking me about the restaurant's hours?

I shrugged, "I don't know. They didn't kick us out, and other people were still finishing up."

We sat there staring at each other. This is boring. "Is this the part where I request counsel?"

He shrugged and walked out. I pulled out a cigarette.

I hope the girls are okay. I hope Kate's already on her way, this shit's boring as hell. Damn, too bad Seth can't come in here, he's always good for a laugh.

I wonder how the Captain's doing, he's probably shitting his pants right now, and pissed as hell. My guess is that the Feds went over his head to the Chief of Police. The Chief's an asshole. Always trying to make a name for himself. Idiot, he should know that we run Chicago. He'll never get anywhere without us.

I can't help but chuckle, he'll learn.

~~Bella~~

We are sitting in my apartment waiting to hear from Edward and Jasper.

When we first arrived, I walked over and picked up Matteo from Santo and Nonna Cesca's. They've been a Godsend, and while I definitely do not take advantage of their kindness, I appreciate the couple of times that they have kept an eye on my baby boy.

He is such a gorgeous baby. Olive skin, brown hair, hazel eyes, just beautiful. He does slightly resemble Edward's side of the family, but I imagine he will look like Gianna when he gets older.

I have pictures of Demetri and Gianna in a memory box that I started for Matteo. When he is old enough to understand, I want to have answers for him. I want him to know who his parents were, and I don't want him to ever resent Edward and I.

I look away from the fireplace, Tanya is asleep in the overstuffed chair in the corner. I stand up and grab a throw from the couch and drape it over her.

Deciding to make myself busy, I put on my glasses and pick up my laptop. I open up the accounting program for the gallery and start going over the numbers and paying bills.

Everything looks okay. I open up the calender and see that the studio is booked solid for the next month. Business has been so great lately.

I open up my mailbox and go through the few items that look important. A shoot for Alistair is set up for January.

I'll need to make sure I have all of the details finalized for that. A rooftop shoot in January. It will be freezing outside, but I can already see how gorgeous the shots will look. I hope it snows, that would make it so much better.

My cell phone rings and I grab it, I don't recognize the number but it's a Chicago area code. I hit the answer button thinking it might be Edward.

"Hello?" I answer quickly.

"Bella? Bella please don't hang up."

I stay quiet and look at the phone again, "Peter?"

"Bella," he chokes, "we're in trouble, Bella. We need help, please. Please?" he's pleading with me.

I swallow, "What's going on? Where are you?" I don't know where to start, but I know I cannot leave this building. If I didn't have Matteo...but I do. I can't take any chances where he's concerned.

"We have...Is there somewhere we can meet? We are in the city but I don't know. Char's not doing well. I think she's in labor."

"Oh no. Okay, Jesus...hold on," I think, I get up and walk over to Tanya, shaking her to wake up. She jumps up quickly, "what?"

"I'm going to go to Nonna Cesca's really quick, please listen for Matteo," I say quickly, shoving my feet into the heels I left by the door earlier.

"Is everything okay? Jasper and Edward?"

"I haven't heard from them yet, I have to talk to her for a minute. I'll be right back."

I walk out quickly and practically run down the hall to the elevator. "Are you still there? You need to give me something, Peter. I'm pretty sure the Cullens are looking for you guys."

"Shit. I know, but it isn't what you think. Bella, we had to run. Marcus," He takes a deep breath, "Marcus was working with the Aros. He was using you to get himself, the family, out of trouble. Just like that asshole did with your mom."

"What?" I gasp.

"Yes, when you gave us the trip to Hawaii, Char and I thought it was a good idea. We knew something was going on and that you wouldn't want us in the middle of it. We went back to the apartment and started packing." He paused for a moment, "While we were packing, Marcus and Alec Aro walked into the apartment. That was when Char and I realized there was more going on than we originally thought. So we waited until they left, went to the airport and swapped our tickets with an older couple. We ended up in Mexico. We just got back to Chicago, and I'm scared shitless to go anywhere."

"Oh my God," I reached the second floor and ran down the hallway, banging on Carlisle's door. He opens the door quickly, his cell phone against his ear.

"It's Peter," I say, holding out my phone. He pulls me inside and I see Santo sitting on the sofa with a tumbler. They have the interrogation rooms at the police station up on the screen. Kate looks like she is giving the detectives hell and Edward is sitting next to her quietly, looking serious and sexy as hell.

Carlisle hands Santo his phone and then takes my phone. He walks away and shuts the door to his office, I slump into the sofa next to Santo who wraps an arm around me and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm so tired," I say quiety, mostly to myself. And then I must drift off, because I don't remember much after that.

~~u~~

I hear crying. And someone is talking, but I can't quite make it out. Matteo.

My eyes pop open and I look around. I'm laying on the couch in Esme and Carlisle's living room with a blanket thrown over me. I look up and Edward and Jasper are still up on the screen. I frown. And hear the crying again.

"Oh my God," I cry out and jump off of the couch. I find Tanya and Esme in the kitchen warming up a bottle for Matteo.

"I'm so sorry!" I cry, as I walk in. Matteo's little face turns in my direction and his cry gets louder.

"Hello my baby, I'm so sorry. I'm here, it's okay," he calms down a little and Esme hands me a bottle for him. He drinks greedily and I sit in one of the chairs at the table trying to calm myself down.

"Are you okay, Isabella?" Tanya asks.

"Yes, I came here last night to speak to Carlisle and the last thing I remember is sitting next to Santo on the couch. I must have just passed out. I'm so sorry, Tanya."

She laughs, "It's okay. Esme came upstairs to tell me where you were. Little man just woke up a few minutes ago."

I smiled, "thanks."

"Como stai, tesoro?" Santo asks when he walks in. (How are you doing, sweetheart?)

"Io sto bene, grazie," I answer. (I'm fine, thank you.)

"The boys will be leaving the station shortly. The police department and FBI were not able to find anything to keep them."

"Oh Thank God," Esme breathes out. "Well, let's start cooking. They'll be hungry when they arrive. Tanya, grab the container with the steak medallions from the refrigerator. I'll make some eggs and hashbrowns. Isa, honey, why don't you go out into the living room and relax with Matteo."

I walk out of the kitchen, yawning and shifting Matt so I can burp him. Carlisle is walking out of his office, he looks exhausted.

"Carlisle," I call out, he looks up at me and smiles at Matteo.

"Hi, sweetheart," he kisses the top of my head and rubs his hand over Matt's head. It's a sweet gesture that I am not quite used to yet.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

He frowns, "come sit with me."

I follow him into the living room. Once we are seated on the sofa, he asks, "What did he say to you on the phone?"

I repeat the story and he sits quietly. He nods and then looks up at the television screen.

Edward and Jasper are both walking out of the interrogation rooms, Carlisle shuts off the television.

"That's what he said to me, too. I've asked him to go to your apartment, and Rob will meet him to check on Charlotte. I won't lie, Isabella," he says with a frown. "I am not sure whether to trust him or not. But with Antonio, Felix and Alec out of the picture, I'm willing to hear him out. He also told me that Marcus was found dead in New York."

I gasp, "Oh..."

"His story seems plausible, and he contacted you as soon as he got into town, so that makes me think he is most likely being truthful. But I don't think we can allow him to stay in Chicago."

I slump, "You aren't going to..." I trail off.

"I can't answer that, sweetheart. I won't know anything until we speak to him and Charlotte."

I nod, I understand. It's the family first, everyone else second. He kisses the top of my head—again, before getting up and walking out of the room.

I walk to the kitchen. "I'm going to go home and wait for Edward. Maybe take a nap."

"Okay, honey. Are you sure you're okay?" Tanya asks me quietly. "You've been a little off since last night."

"I'm just tired, and worried about Edward and Jasper," I kiss her cheek, "I'm fine."

She doesn't look like she believes me, but she nods and walks back toward the stove.

Things between Esme and I are still awkward, so I call out a simple, "Okay, I will see you later." And I walk out of the apartment.

I walk to the elevator, and make sure the blanket is covering Matt's head. I push the button just as the doors open.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hi Everyone! How are you? Enjoying the weekend, I hope.

So...I hit 1000 reviews this weekend! I can't even explain how extremely happy this makes me. You guys are the best! I didn't have the chance to respond to many reviews for the last chapter. Sick children and work kept me ridiculously busy, but thanks to all of you! You guys have all been so positive and amazing.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think ;

Until next time...


	37. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

Thanks so much to Sunflower for pre-reading and editing this for me...

~~edward~~

"Bella," I say as I step off of the elevator. God, she's a sight for sore eyes.

"Edward," she whispers.

"You're going up?"

She nods, "I'm so tired. And Matt needs to rest."

Jasper claps me on the shoulder, "Go ahead. I'll buy you some time."

I step back onto the elevator with Bella, hugging her tightly. She tilts her head up to kiss me. It's a soft, welcome home, kind of kiss.

I place a hand on Bella's waist and the other on Matteo's back. "How is he?"

Bella smiles, "He's good, he just ate. So he will be sleeping for awhile."

Just what I wanted to hear.

We reach the apartment and I open the door, Bella walks straight to the bedroom. Laying Matteo in his crib, and covering him with a blanket. I'm watching her from the doorway as I loosen my tie.

My wife turns around and the look in her eyes is feral. My cock is suddenly straining against my pants.

Bella unzips her dress and it falls to the floor as she walks toward me. She is still wearing the black heels she had on last night, and my eyes travel upward. Her long silky legs, black lacy panties, with a matching bra that is barely holding her in. Her hair is in messy curls down her back. How the hell did I get so lucky?

Her fingers are unbuttoning my dress shirt, removing my cuff links, pushing the shirt off of my shoulders, pushing my wife beater up and over my head. She quickly moves to my belt and then she's pushing my pants and boxers off at the same time. Before I know what's happening, she's on her knees and my dick is engulfed in warmth. I grab onto the door frame to keep myself upright.

Her mouth feels so fucking good on me and it takes all my strength to pull her up.

I push her panties down her legs, and she kicks them off as I pick her up, with my good arm.

I toe off my shoes, and step out of my pants and carry her toward our bed. I try to lie her down gently, but she ends up bouncing a little. Giggles escape her, making me smile. I climb over her, positioning myself at her sweet spot.

"Baby, I'm not gonna last long," I say, and push into her.

She bites her lip and moans and I feel my cock swell and grow thicker, if that's even possible. She has this effect on me, I never know what to expect because every time with her is special and unique and amazing.

Her hands are splayed open against the comforter and I push the cup of her lacy bra out of the way so I can suck on her beautiful tit. It feels bigger. We just found out she's pregnant, but I can already feel the changes in her body.

The thought of her body changing to accommodate our child, makes me wild, out of control. I push into her more roughly. My mouth travels over to the other breast teasing her, laving it. I love they way she looks in this moment; the black lace is an outline to her luscious breasts, her pink tips standing at attention, taunting me, her face is flushed, her bottom lip is between her teeth, and her eyes...My God, her eyes are telling me she's as out of control as I am.

I need to come, I need for her to come; Now. My hand travels along her body to her hot spot, the little bud that will push her over the edge. And I need this to happen quickly, I'm not going to last much longer.

My fingers travel along where we're joined, and I shiver. My thumb is wet, and I rub her in slow circles. Slow but tight, feeling her twitch. "Please, baby. Please," I gasp.

"Touch us again, where we're joined. That's so fucking hot," she whispers. One of her hands is wrapped around my shoulders, while her other hand tangles with mine. Our fingers on my cock and her lips. I groan, rough against her skin.

I feel her finger moving in quick circles, and I can't hold it any longer. "Bella..." I groan out, and speed up, moving erratically to ease the tightening. She tightens around me and her breath catches and then she's fluttering and her body is tense and shaking against me, and I explode, punching the mattress.

I feel weak and I'm fucking wheezing; I need to stop smoking.

I roll us over, so her weight is lying on top of me, not wanting to separate from her yet.

She's resting her head on my shoulder, and we are slick with sweat, and I can feel how fast her heart is beating, "I love you," I say in her ear, not able to contain the words.

She places a kiss over my heart, "I love you, too."

She looks up at me, leaning up to kiss me, and I see that her luscious breasts are still on display. "Fuck, baby. You're tits look amazing like this. You should dress like this around the house for me."

She looks down and laughs. "Okay, baby. Just for you, when Matt's not around."

Oh yeah, the kid. "Yeah, when he's not here. We need to get a babysitter, like twice a week."

She laughs again, and the sound is so beautiful. It brings a smile to my face. "You're so beautiful, baby."

Her cheeks pink, and she kisses me softly. Within minutes I'm hard again, and my beautiful wife is riding me, and grinding against me. Damn, I'm a lucky man.

~~u~~

I walk into my parents' place only a little bit late. Jasper is sitting on the sofa sharing a drink with my father. He chuckles and shakes his head.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Tanya leans in and kisses my cheek, Emmett is in the hallway waiting for her.

"Take care of Isabella, she's been a little off the past couple of days. I hope she's okay," Tanya has been a good friend to her.

"I will, she's sleeping now but I will keep an eye on her," I say, kissing her cheek also. "Thanks a lot, for everything. You've been really great, Tanya," she blushes, and I laugh.

She shakes her head but smiles and gives me a small wave, Jasper stands up and I walk away as he says goodbye.

I roll my neck and walk over to my father, shaking his hand.

"How's Isabella?" he asks.

"She's okay. Sleeping. I want to spend the next few days with her, if that's possible." I sit down on the sofa, resting my head against the back.

"Peter contacted Bella last night," my father says, abruptly. He doesn't lead into it smoothly like he normally would. My head shoots up to look at him, as Jasper sits next to me.

He nods, "she ran down here banging on the door, and then handed me the phone. He says Marcus was working with the Aros, but he was not. Marcus was trying to use Isabella as his get out of jail free card. Just like they did with her mother. It backfired, obviously, and it seems that he's dead now. Peter said he was found dead in a New York hotel room."

Holy shit, why didn't she tell me. Well, we didn't really talk, did we?

"He said that he and Charlotte have been in Mexico. He heard about the Aros dropping out and decided to come back to Chicago, and he called Isabella as soon as they checked into a hotel room. I sent him to Isabella's apartment and asked Rob to go check on Charlotte. Paul is waiting for them there. He'll keep an eye on them until we can get there."

He walked over to the window and looked outside. "If his wife is in labor, we'll give it a couple days." He turned to me and leaned on the window sill. "Isabella understood that there was a possibility that they won't make it. She asked me point blank, and I told her I couldn't make any promises. But she'll probably want to see them. Take her over there, if she wants. Maybe they'll talk to her. But she knows that either way, they cannot stay in Chicago."

I nodded.

"Alright," I said quietly. "So everything else?" discreetly asking about New York.

My father smiled and laughed, "Fucking fantastic. Daniel and I are going to meet on Tuesday. We made a huge dent in the Aros foundation. Financially, it will take a long time for them to return to their previous status. Daniel is coming here with one guard. And I made it very clear that I would not hesitate to take him out if he tries to pull a fast one."

I was smiling, I knew it. I fucking knew it went off without a hitch when that damn detective picked us up. Jasper and I fist bumped and laughed.

"The Cap was pretty pissed when we were leaving the station earlier," Jasper said calmly.

My father snorted, "Yeah, that fucking Chief thinks he runs this city. He's going to learn the hard way that he does not. Add the Aros into it, he'll be lucky if he keeps his position much longer."

I stood up, and walked over to my father. We exchanged a hug, and my father kissed my cheek.

"These last few weeks have been hell. I'm glad you are okay, a little beat up, but okay. Go home to your wife and son. Let's talk sometime tomorrow. Rob should be calling me later with news on Peter and Charlotte," he shook his head. "We'll just have to see, Edward." He nodded toward my brother, "Jasper will go with me to talk to them and I'll let you know. Your brother is like a human lie detector, so hopefully he'll be able to see how truthful they're being."

He clasped my shoulder, "talk to Isabella about this. She knows what could happen, don't try to protect her. It won't make it any easier in the long run."

"I will," I answered, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Carlisle chuckled, and I walked out, cupping Jasper's shoulder. I made my way back to the apartment, so happy that I can finally share a bed with my wife, and wake up to her beautiful face. I'll be able to spend some quality time with Matteo, something that has been lacking in the last few weeks. But with all of the Aro business finally tied up, things should be pretty quiet for awhile.

It will be another five years before any of the families try something like this again. My guess is that they will not fuck with our family for at least ten years, knowing that we took out the top three faces in the Aro family.

Alec has all daughters, but we'll keep our eyes on them too. You never know if they will hold a grudge and decide to come after us when they're older. But that's okay, I have a son and another child on the way. The younger generation will be so much smarter than this one, so I have no fears. They will represent our family well.

I lock the doors and make my way toward the bedroom. Bella is sitting up in the middle of the bed, pillows piled against the headboard behind her, Matteo in her arms.

I stand at the end of the bed, watching them. My heart feels swollen with the love I feel for them. Bella's eyes are closed, but Matteo is wide awake. He's content in his mother's arms, as his eyes take in his surroundings. He is still so tiny, but he does a little more than just sleep now.

I walk around the bed and snap a quick picture with my phone, before sitting on the edge. Bella's eyes open, and her arms tighten around our son, and when she focuses on me, she smiles.

"Beautiful," I whisper, leaning in to kiss her.

"Let me take him for a while. Get some sleep, baby," I move my hands under hers, cradling Matteo's head and she slips him into my arms.

"I love you," she says, kissing my chin as I adjust the baby. "I love seeing you with him," she sighs.

I flash her a bright smile and wink, "Okay, you sleep. I'm going to talk to the boy about women and fast cars."

She laughs, and Matteo kicks out his legs, looking for her. She gets up on her knees, "I love you, baby boy," she says, kissing his chubby face. "I love you, too," she says against my lips.

"Get some rest, mia moglie bella. (my beautiful wife.)

She settled beneath the blankets, and I grabbed an extra blanket from the crib and Matteo's pacifier and walk toward the living room.

"Alright, little man. Let's bond," I could hear Bella giggle from the room as I watched the little boy in my arms gave me the most beautiful, toothless smile I've ever seen. I laughed and settled on the couch, flipping on ESPN. "First things first, football highlights."

~~jasper~~

I walk into the dingy bar, it's after one in the morning. The place is getting ready to shut down, the bartender looks at me and nods.

I make my way toward the back, and walk through the storage room to a little office.

Seth is sitting on the little couch, his head leaning against the back as he stares at the ceiling.

"Hey man," I call out, he startles and jumps up.

"Hey," he shakes his head. "Sorry, I zoned out a little there." He stands and shakes my hand before sitting back on the couch.

I lean against the desk, "So, what are you hearing?"

He shakes his head, "The Feds went over Cap's head, they wanted to pick you guys up and tag you with all of the deaths around town and in New York." He chuckles, "the agent that interviewed you told the chief to go fuck himself. He said it was stupid to pick you guys up tonight without knowing everything that went down back east. Cap called the mayor and told him that the chief probably fucked up any case they may have had against you guys by jumping the gun and picking you guys up. Man," Seth's laughing out loud now. "When the baby Fed tried to argue, Cap looked him and said," he is laughing again but settles down enough to make a gruff voice. "_What the hell is wrong with you? Do you really think they caused all that shit in New York, had time to catch a flight, pick up their girlfriends, stop for dinner and have a glass of wine?"_

"This is going to be bad press for them. The Tribune is already all over this," Seth raised his head to look at me. "You're gonna have reporters all over you. It's already been leaked to the paper that you guys were picked up for a series of events that happened in New York. An event that it would have been impossible for you to be at, considering you were with your girlfriends in Wicker Park."

He pulled a paper out of his pocket and handed it over to me, "They've been working through information all night, trying to tie it to you. But there were no familiar names on any of the airlines from New York to Chicago. Or any familiar names in any of the surrounding states. There were, however, names of people associated with the Santorossi family on some of the flights out of New York tonight."

Seth smiled, and I laughed. It fucking worked. IT FUCKING WORKED! Having the guys use aliases associated with another family was fucking genius. "Fuck yeah!"

Seth laughed, "Feds should cut there numbers here in the next few weeks. They'll be at your brother's wedding, but that's to be expected, yeah?"

I nodded, "Yeah, thanks man."

He nodded and sat back down on the couch. It was quiet for a few minutes before Seth cleared his throat.

I looked up at him, "Are you sure this is what you want? What about Leah?"

He turned to the side. "I'm doing this for Leah. She is everything to me. The assholes I work with killed her mom, my _wife_. I can't just stand by and fucking pretend that I'm okay. I can't work next to them anymore."

I stared at him for a long moment, not speaking. I thought about the first time I met Seth.

_I was on the sidewalk outside of a restaurant in Midtown. Seth was leaning over a woman, screaming for someone to help him. I looked over at him and turned, I was going to walk away. Get away from the scene. But he looked me in the eye, crying and pleading. "Please, please..." I closed my eyes, unable to walk away. _

_I pulled out my phone calling 911. Seth was inconsolable, and I couldn't leave him. Something about him prevented me from leaving._

_We sat in the waiting room while his wife, Emily, was in surgery. He was rocking back and forth, pulling his hair. _

"_I'm a detective, CPD. There's been some shit going on in the department. I saw one of the guys in the restaurant. He was with his mistress," he laughed, sobbed. "His fucking mistress. He saw Emily and me, in the restaurant and he walked up to us. Emily knows his wife, so yeah, she was surprised. He threatened me, subtly. Placing a hand on Emily's shoulder, kissing her cheek."_

_He cried, and pulled his hair. "When we walked out of the restaurant," he was gasping for air, "when we walked out, I don't know what happened. I didn't see anything but there was a shot. One single shot."_

_He fell back against the chair, his hands covering his face, sobs wracking his body. I remember my eyes watering. I remember wanting to cry with him, for him. _

"_One fucking shot!" he yelled. _

_I wrapped my arm around him, and he fell into me. I leaned in and spoke quietly in his ear. Explained that I could help him, but it would come at a price, it would change his life. _

_The doctor walked in at that same moment, "Mr. Clearwater, I'm so sorry..." I didn't hear the rest of the doctor's words. Seth's eyes were connected to mine. _

"_Do whatever the fuck you need to do. I'll tell you whatever you need to know," he wiped his face roughly. "I have to pick up my daughter."_

_His body sagged, before bending at the waist as sobs took over his body. The doctor had left the room. Seth pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to me. _

"_I have to..." he trailed off, "I have to see my wife and then pick up my daughter." _

_The man was a mess. I couldn't imagine losing someone close to me, or what it would take to raise his daughter alone. "His name is Ronaldo Velasques. The man who killed my wife is named Ronaldo Velasques."_

_And he walked out of the room._

"Yeah, I'll set it up. Bring Leah on Sunday. Church at 11:00am and then we have Sunday dinner with the family."

He nodded, "Jas." He was choked up, no doubt remembering the same things I was.

I pulled him into a hug. "I know, man."

He pulled himself together and nodded, before walking out of the office quickly.

I sat for a few more minutes, getting myself together before calling my father.

When he answered, I simply said, "He's in," before hanging up.

~~bella~~

I opened my eyes slowly, the room was dark and I was warm. Too warm. Edward's leg was covering both of mine and his hand was cupping my breast. I felt sweaty, but so happy that my husband was in bed with me.

I lifted my head to see the clock on the bedside table, 4:21am.

I ran my fingers over the hand that was holding me. Edward's fingers twitched, and he readjusted himself, closer to me.

I moved my fingers to his leg. My short nails trailing along his thigh. His cock stirred.

The feeling had me squirming next to him.

He moved his leg, stretching out a little bit, "Baby," he murmured.

"Edward, I want you," I whispered

He groaned, but seemed to snap out of his fog because he was hovering over me before I had a second to think.

His fingers trailed along my body, as his mouth sought out my lips.

His fingers found my moist center, he hummed and sat up, pulling my panties down and shedding his boxers. He grabbed my hips and pulled me to him, angling my body onto his thighs and pushed into me.

I gasped, oh God. He always feels so good inside of me.

His fingers were gripping me tightly, but he was moving slowly, almost relaxed. His fingers started to loosen and travel along my body, before finally settling on my stomach. The look in his eyes softened, and his movement stopped. He adjusted himself so that he was hovering above me.

"I love you, Bella, so much," he pushed back into me and whispered, "so much."

Tears welled in my eyes, and I could feel the wetness on my temples. This man, this gorgeous, dangerous man, fell into my quiet, sad life completely unexpected. His love has changed my whole world, he's made is so much better. Colors are brighter, flowers are more fragrant, images are more defined. And moments like this, where he is completely unguarded and I can see his heart, make me fall more in love with him.

I raise my hand to his face, rubbing my hand over his stubble. "Ti voglio bene, più di quanto io abbia mai conosciuto era possibile. Tu sei il mio cuore e la mia anima." (I love you, more than I ever knew was possible. You are my heart and my soul.)

His lips hovered above mine, his eyes searched mine, and his smile was the most amazing thing I've ever seen directed at me in my life.

His movements sped up and his lips attacked mine, his tongue soft against mine. He kept the sighs and whimpers that escaped me for himself, absorbing them into his body. This was so much more than making love, this feeling was...all I could feel was him. His skin against mine, his breath in my mouth, his heat rubbing against mine, his eyes boring into my soul. Nothing else existed, nothing else mattered except the two of us.

The needy feeling I had when this started was gone, and my body felt warm with this new kind of love I was sharing with my husband. He stopped moving again, and we shared soft kisses, words of love against each other's mouths. Our lovemaking turned dreamy, as if we never wanted it to end. His hands worshiped my body, as I pulled him tighter against me, not wanting an inch of space between us. His lips were everywhere, his love blanketed my body, and I couldn't stop whispering _I love you _over and over again.

We finally worked each other up enough to fall over the edge, but we didn't separate. We lay together talking; planning our future and picking baby names. It was one of the most beautiful moments in my life. I can only hope to have more like this, but even if I don't, I am grateful to have had this one. It will last me a lifetime.

~~u~~

"Baby, let's get out of the house for a little while," Edward said, as he walked into the bathroom where I was pulling Matt out of the bathtub.

"Hi little man," Edward smiled as he tickled Matt's tummy. This of course, along with the cold air, had Matt streaming urine into the air; thankfully not at me.

I squeaked and Edward laughed. "Edward!"

"Nice job, buddy. We'll work on that when you can stand on your own," Edward said and picked up Matt's hand, giving him a mini high five.

I couldn't help but laugh, "I can't believe you said that."

"What? All boys do it, it's like a rule or something."

I carried Matt into the room as Edward cleaned up the bathroom.

"Where are we going?" I asked, it would be good to get out for a while. And a drive sounded fantastic. Maybe dinner.

"I don't know. I thought maybe we could just take a drive, stop if we want or not. I just want to be alone with you guys."

I nodded and put on Matt's diaper. And then picked out warm clothes for him, careful not to choose the Eskimo outfit that Edward still laughs at.

Edward packed a diaper bag and asked me to take a quick look to make sure he grabbed everything, and I threw a few extra bottles into the bag, just in case.

We all got into my Audi and took off. Matt fell asleep as soon as we started driving and Edward and I conversed quietly. We talked about everything that had happened over the past few weeks, the upcoming wedding and the Thanksgiving holiday.

After a little while we both quieted, enjoying the drive. We held hands over the middle console and listened as Al Green's voice filtered through the car.

About thirty minutes later, Edward pulled off of the highway. We were still in the city, but a little further away from the apartments where the family was currently staying.

Edward drove through a nice neighborhood in North Chicago, not far from Wicker Park. He made his way slowly through the streets, before slowing and then stopping in front of a house. He parked, and turned off the car, and then shifted in his seat to look at me.

I could feel his eyes on me as I looked at the home in front of me, a beautiful Greystone that was updated but had to have been built more than a hundred years ago. The front door was a heavy honey colored wood with windows, and there was a small balcony just above it. There were planters placed just so, next to either side of the door. And the trees and shrubs planted along the sidewalk were full and mature.

"Edward?" I asked.

He reached for my hand, "I've been thinking," he said quietly, before kissing the inside of my wrist. He seemed to be trying to get his emotions under control. "I want a place that we can come home to every night, a home where we can raise our children, a home filled with love and laughter and our children's voices." He looked up at the house for a moment. "I have been thinking about it since we brought Matteo home, and now that we are expecting," he said, emphasizing the point by placing his hand on my stomach. I immediately covered his hand, encouraging him to continue. He smiled, "I really want to be settled somewhere before the baby gets here. I want to create a home with you, Bella."

I smiled at him and my eyes teared up, "I want that too," I whispered.

He leaned in and kissed me softly, twice on my lips before leaning his forehead against mine.

"I saw something come through my office that this property was available, so I made an appointment for us to see it. I know it's in the city, but I don't know..." he trailed off, looking up and down the street. "I like it, you know?"

I looked at the tree lined street, and then back up at the house before nodding. I did understand. From the exterior, it was welcoming. I turned back to him with a smile. "Let's go look."

He pulled my face to his and kissed me. "Yeah?" he asked, excitement shining in his eyes.

"Yeah."

"You're going to love it, I just know it."

He jumped out of the car and opened my door before pulling Matt out of the car seat.

As soon as the front door opened, I knew. The house was inviting; cozy and warm. And it was huge. There were five bedrooms, five bathrooms, four floors, a lovely patio outside and the kitchen was gorgeous. Granite counters, stainless steel appliances, a breakfast bar right near the work station. I could see my children sitting here doing homework, while I made dinner.

I simply stood in the kitchen, looking around, imagining my family in this house. Hearing the children running upstairs, seeing Edward sitting at the breakfast bar drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in the morning, imagining summer nights drinking wine out on the patio. I smiled.

Edward walked up behind me, Matteo sleeping in his arms. "So?" he asked, "what do you think?"

"Edward," I said so quietly, it was almost a whisper. He leaned down and kissed me.

"Yeah?"

I laughed, angling my face to kiss him again and said _yes_ against his lips.

When we left the property that night, our offer had already been accepted by the owners. A quick sale, a bank transfer, and a move in date of four weeks. Just in time for Christmas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hi everyone! I hope you're having a great week. So here is the next chapter, a little longer than the last one. I hope you enjoy it. I posted a little early because I will be out of town this weekend and I won't have my laptop.

Let me know what you guys think of this one. I was listening to a lot of oldies with this one, Otis Redding and Al Green - I think the mood of the music blended into Edward and Bella.

Alright, enough of my rambling. Thanks to all of you for the reviews last chapter! I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone, but I'm working on it. Until next time...


	38. Chapter 36

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_A million thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading/betaing this for me._

~~edward~~

I rub my hands over my face and through my hair. I'm fucking exhausted. Bella and I celebrated our new home purchase all night, not that I'm complaining. I'm just tired.

Emmett is driving, I'm sitting next to him and Bella and Matteo are in the back seat. We're on our way to see Peter and Charlotte. And can I fucking say, I'm not looking forward to it. The asshole was supposed to be her friend and he fucking disappeared. Not even a fucking phone call when he found out that Marcus Buccieri was working with the Aros.

So no, I don't have any fucking sympathy for him or his family. Call me an asshole, I don't give a fuck. I'm only doing this because Bella asked me to.

Emmett pulls up in front of the building, and I hop out. I open the back door,pulling the car seat out of the base and then help Bella out of the car.

"I'm going to park and I will meet you guys upstairs," Emmett called out before pulling away from the curb.

"Edward," Bella started.

I shook my head, she knew I was pissed. "Don't. You need to do this, I get that, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. That asshole didn't give you a second thought when he found out his family was working against you, _against us_. So fuck him."

I said this quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

Bella sighed and led me to the elevators.

I called Paul as soon as the elevator stopped. He was waiting for us outside the door.

"Rob's here again," he said.

We walked into the apartment and I immediately looked around. I hadn't been here in a while.

I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor and turned toward the noise, "Hey Ed," my friend called out, shaking my hand and kissing Bella's cheek.

"Hey man, how goes it?"

He shrugged, looking tired. "How are you doing, Isabella? Feeling okay?" he asked quietly, almost whispering.

She smiled brightly and nodded, "I'm good, really good."

"Great, I'm going to get out of here. I'm meeting Kristen for dinner," Rob frowned. "If she goes into labor, just send her to the hospital and have them page me." He clapped my shoulder before walking out.

We stepped further into the room, turning to the left. Sitting in the formal living room is Peter and a very pregnant Charlotte. The door opens behind me and I turn to find Emmett. He reaches for Matteo and I hand him the seat.

I place a hand on Bella's waist and we move toward the couple, and Peter stands up as we walk. He looks nervous, a little scared. I wonder what my father and brother said to him yesterday.

"Bella, Edward," he says quietly, and then clears his throat.

Bella sits on the love seat across from him and I sit next to her. I'm not sure what my face looks like, but I'm sure I am giving off the 'I'm an evil fucker and I hate you' vibe.

Bella doesn't answer him, her face is a blank mask. I'm not sure what I expected, but I can't say that I'm disappointed with her reaction to him.

Her head tilts slightly, urging him to continue. He shook his head and looked over at his wife.

"I know I fucked up, and I'm sorry. I just...I got scared," he says, pleading with Bella to understand.

His wife doesn't speak, she just sits there, her hands on her stomach and her eyes on her husband.

"Bella, I'm so, so sorry for how everything turned out. I know I should have contacted you but I was worried about Charlotte and the baby. They are my priority Bella. I didn't ask to get mixed up in any of this."

He blows out a breath and rests his head in his hands. Charlotte places a hand on his arm.

Bella sniffs and nods. I refuse to speak to him, he is a sorry excuse in my eyes. There were a lot of things he could have done to warn Bella but he chose not to do anything. You don't treat family that way.

Bella clears her throat quietly, "I understand. Of course, your wife and child are your priority. I understand." She is quiet for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "However, I don't accept the reasoning that '_you didn't ask to get mixed up in any of this._' Do you think I asked for the Aro family to come after me? Did I ask for the Buccieri family to come after me? No, I did not. I am hurt and disappointed that you didn't contact me to warn me, after I defended you to my husband, to _my_ family. Your indiscretion put my husband, as well as my family, in danger. That choice killed our friends, parents to a new baby. A child that Edward and I will have to explain all of this to when he is older. So while I _understand _your priorities, I don't accept your actions. I don't accept that my oldest friend hung me out to dry. And despite what you say, I have the feeling that you knew exactly what was going on with Marcus before I sent you away."

She stood up, as did I, and then she walked over to them. She kissed him on the cheek, and then did the same to Charlotte.

"I wish you the best of luck in life, and with your child. I don't want to see either of you again. Please don't contact me, and I will extend the same courtesy. Goodbye."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the room. I gave them both a hard look, and turned to follow my wife. She was waiting by the door, with Emmett. I placed a small kiss on her temple and then followed her out the door. The sound of Charlotte's cries following us out.

~~u~~

Sunday.

Church.

St. Michael's.

Curious stares.

The new faces with the Cullen family were responsible for the gossip today.

Seth Clearwater and his daughter Leah were with us, at the 11:00am mass. They would also be having Sunday dinner with us in my parents' home. Yes, curious indeed.

I casually looked around the church, searching for anything out of the ordinary. But there didn't seem to be anything off. There were a few Feds here today, looking for something to pin on us, as usual. But they would find nothing.

Seth had resigned from the police force earlier this week. He was pretty sure some of his co-workers knew that he was working with our family, but no one said anything about it out loud. He told the captain that he no longer felt like his job was meaningful. That his co-workers were all crooked, and he didn't have faith in the justice system anymore.

He sent a package to the mayor. A package that included audio on some of the detectives and their shady dealings, photographs of cops with the Aro family and some of them even getting high. Paperwork showing that evidence was being tampered with. It was quite the file, from what I hear.

Another thing that prevented an investigation on Seth, was my father's relationship with the Mayor. My father donated very generously to his campaign and the Mayor was very grateful for my father's assistance with certain 'issues' that came up from time to time.

However, it was a strange decision on my father's part to have Seth connected with us so quickly. My father said he was using him as a personal guard, since Demetri had been killed. He wanted someone that he wouldn't have to spend too much time training. At least, that was the story, and we all knew it by heart.

~~bella~~

I wanted a glass of wine, or a shot of whiskey. Anything to calm my nerves. We were all at Edward's parents' house preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. And Esme is making me crazy.

I literally want to throw a damn potato at her head.

Our issues have obviously not been resolved. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before wiping my hands off and untying the apron I'm wearing. I don't have to put up with her shit. I am already in this family, I am married to her son, and she can just kick rocks if she doesn't like it.

I walk out of the kitchen, unnoticed, and walk into the living room. Edward is holding Matteo on his lap, watching the football game.

He looks up when he hears the heel of my shoes hit the hardwood floor. He frowns, "Baby, what's wrong?"

Ugh, my face must show how upset I am. I can't speak because I will start crying. Damn hormones.

I shake my head and reach for Matteo, "I'm going upstairs for awhile. I'll be back." My voice is rough, scratchy.

I turn before he can answer and walk out of the living room. I almost make it to the door when she calls me, "Isabella, where are you going?"

I take a deep breath and then breath in the soft baby smell of Matt's lotion. I decide to ignore her and reach for the door knob.

"Isabella," she snaps, and I cannot hold my tongue any longer.

"What?" I call out, turning to look at her.

Her eyes widen and she stays quiet, surprisingly. "What, Esme, or should I call you Mrs. Cullen? What could you possibly want from me? I can do no right in your eyes. I don't peel potatoes correctly, or cook pasta correctly, or bake pies correctly. What do you want? Did I do something else wrong in the ten minutes since I left the kitchen? Did I not fold my apron correctly? Or maybe I'm holding my son incorrectly? I'm dressed inappropriately for dinner, is that it?" I ask and then sweep my hand down my body, glancing at my dress and heels.

I ask, my voice is rising slightly, but I am controlling myself for Matt's sake. I don't want to scare him.

"I am so tired of you berating me every chance you get. You don't like me, fine. I get it. But just...don't speak to me, ignore me, I would prefer that. I've held my tongue for quite a long time and honestly, I'm tired of it. I do not deserve your judgments and criticisms. I have done nothing disrespectful to you or to this family and I'm not going to sit here and take it."

"Hey, what's going on here?" Carlisle asks, standing next to his wife.

Everyone is standing around us now, heads moving from Esme to me, like a tennis match.

"You're exaggerating. I haven't treated you in any such way," her voice is shaky, but her stance is strong.

I laugh, and then the tears start flowing. Nodding, "you're right. It's all my imagination. Well, my imagination and I, don't like it and we will not stay here and endure it for a moment longer. Have a lovely Thanksgiving, everyone."

I pulled the door open and walked out, heading toward the elevator to go up to our apartment.

I hug Matt close to me and the tears continue to fall. Stupid hormones, I'm so angry but I can't stop crying. I can hear voices carrying down the hall, and then footsteps behind me, but I don't turn to see who it is.

I jab the button on the wall, urging the elevator to hurry up.

Big, warm hands wrap around my waist and I let myself fall back against him. The elevator doors open, and we walk in. Edward hugs Matt and me, and I rest my forehead against his chest.

We don't speak, but Edward's hands run up and down my back. It seems like a couple minutes later, we are inside our apartment. Edward takes little man from me and lays him in the portable crib we keep in the living room. He then walks over to me and pulls me into his arms.

"I don't know why she doesn't like me, what have I done? I've done nothing wrong. I am not responsible for Demetri or Gianna's deaths. I didn't ask for these things to happen but they did, and we are handling it the best way we can. I love that little boy as if I gave birth to him myself, and I don't appreciate the whispers and comments the family is making about me. I am more loyal than any of them!" I cried. "Fuck! I hate that I let her get to me like this."

Edward didn't say anything but continued to hold me and rock me in his arms. I calmed myself down slowly, and stopped crying.

"Better?" he asks me.

I nod. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin Thanksgiving."

Edward laughs, "You didn't. I'm glad you stood up to her. She needed to hear it. Jasper and I have been giving her shit, but she didn't care. I'm pretty sure my Dad is giving her hell right now." He pulled away slightly, pulling my chin up to look at him. "You know my Dad loves you like a daughter, like his daughter. He talks about you all the time, worries about you. I'm pretty sure my mother is just jealous."

I frowned, not understanding why she'd be jealous of me.

"She's jealous of the attention you are getting from not only me, her youngest son, but also from Jasper, Santo and Carlisle. You found a place so easily in the hearts of all of the men that have only ever paid attention to her. Not to mention, we have Matteo now also. I think she's feeling insecure. But it doesn't excuse her behavior. I'm glad you finally spoke up, and stood up to her."

Huh, I never thought she would be jealous of me. That just seems so...I don't know, childish.

"Whatever," I took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. I tip my head up to look at my wonderful husband, "thank you for following me, and calming me down."

His hands cup my face, "I will follow you anywhere, Bella. Forever."

I can't help but smile, "I love you, so much."

He leans in and kisses me sweetly. "I love you, too."

We hold each other a little longer before I realize that it's still Thanksgiving. Our first Thanksgiving together.

"How about I make us a nice romantic Thanksgiving dinner? It's our first major holiday together."

Edward looks over my shoulder and then smiles. "It is, isn't it?" He kisses me again and laughs. "A romantic dinner sounds wonderful, baby. But I think that's going to have to wait."

I frown, and open my mouth to ask why but our front door opens revealing Jasper, Emmett, Paul, Rachel and Tanya. My eyes tear up again.

Jasper walks over to me and kisses the top of my head, "Hey, honey. You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. You guys didn't..." I trail off.

"Yeah, we did. You are family and she is wrong. So we're here to support you and Ed."

Tanya walks up and gives me a hug. "I brought some groceries from Jasper's. I figured we could make a nice dinner here, for the seven of us."

I nod, "great idea. Thanks, Tanya."

Paul and Emmett walk over and kiss my cheek and Rachel gives me a side hug.

"Edward," He smiles.

"We got the kid, you girls go do your thing."

And with that the TV turns on, bottles of beer are opened, Emmett is talking to Matt about Detroit's offensive line and the girls are unpacking the grocery bags on the dining room table.

I can't help but smile; this day turned out so much better than I could have ever hoped for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: I know this is shorter than usual, but I am tying up loose ends here. With Charlotte and Peter, I figured quick and to the point was going to be Bella's style. Once she got over her anger, she realized that shewould never be able to trust her oldest friend again, soshe cut them out, short and sweet. I think dragging it out would have sounded fake and unrealistic.

Also, for those of you interested in the football deets, this Thanksgiving the big games are between the Detroit Lions and the Houston Texans, along with the game that is most important in my house, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.

**GO NY GIANTS** ! (from Fran) **GO COWBOYS**! (from Me)... lol

Oh! If you are looking for something good to read, I just read a lovely story by _TheFlutteryButterfly_ called _Back Home_. It is complete, and it's very sweet. There is also a Rocker Bella story that I have been reading called _When in Doubt, Blame the Singer's Girlfrien_d by _RRose. _

And thanks so much to all of you for reviewing! I totally failed at responding this time around, but I'm glad all of you enjoyed the last chapter.

Okay, now...I'm done. See you guys next time!


	39. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own them...

a million thanks to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading/betaing...

~~Esme~~

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, damn it.

My husband, sons, and in-laws are all staring at me. Not to mention Jasper's girlfriend, Tanya.

"Esme, what just happened?" Carlisle asked.

"I..." I don't have an answer. Everything Isabella said is correct, I have not been nice to her. Even after our talk the other day. My apology and promise to be nicer was meaningless, and she will never believe me if I try to apologize again.

"I don't know what just happened, but this has gone on long enough. Jasper and I have both warned you that you were pushing her too much and she would snap, and it would ruin your already strained relationship. But you couldn't leave it alone. Mom, I love you but Isabella and Matteo are my family; they come first. If you can't find it inside yourself to be nice to my _wife,_" Edward said, "then we won't spend time here anymore. I'm sorry," he sighed and then looked at Carlisle. "I'm going to go after her."

My youngest son walked out of the room, slamming the front door.

Everyone was quiet. My family was still staring at me. Jasper shook his head and then gestured for Tanya. She walked over to him and took his hand. He walked around the room saying goodbye and shaking hands.

He kissed my cheek, and my shoulders slumped. He's leaving.

The door closed with a quiet click behind him. I turned and made my way back into the kitchen. I would finish making dinner. The people who stay, will still expect to eat. I go back to chopping vegetables and fruit to make the stuffing. The turkey was already in the oven, un-stuffed. I don't like soggy stuffing.

The quiet sound of footsteps behind me alerted me that Carlisle was in the room.

"Es," he said quietly.

I slammed the knife down on the counter, and leaned forward. "What?"

He laughs, "are you fucking kidding?" He asks, and then sarcastically repeats, _"what?"_

"What do you want me to say?" I pick up the knife and resume chopping.

"Esme, what is your problem with Isabella?" He leans against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest and I can feel him looking at me.

"I don't have a problem with her."

"Really?" I look over at him to see an incredulous look on his face. "I would like to believe you, but I think your nose just grew five inches."

I sniffed, idiot. He's calling me a liar. Pinocchio – is there a female version of him?

I put the knife down and turn to him, my arms also crossed over my chest. I'm breathing quickly, nerves and confrontation getting the best of me.

"Fine. Yes, I have an issue with her."

Carlisle tilts his head and raises an eyebrow at me, "Okay. Care to elaborate?"

I roll my eyes, I'm going to sound like an idiot.

"She has Edward, they are married. My son kept his wedding a secret from me, _his mother_. Jasper cares for her, he's with her when Edward is not. Santo and Francesca love her like a daughter. _You _love her like a daughter. Demetri named her as Godmother to his child...All of the sudden, this girl is more important than I am. Everyone has taken to her so easily. Santo and Francesca didn't like me for years, but they meet Isabella and they fall in love with her. I feel like she is stealing my family from me. No one needs me anymore."

Carlisle is still looking at me, but I can't define the look in his eyes. Confusion, maybe.

"Esme, you don't really believe that? Do you?"

I straighten and look him in the eye.

"Honey, when did this start? You and Isabella were getting along fine. You were helping her with the wedding and then you stopped all communication with her just after Demetri and Gianna passed. Isabella is not responsible for their deaths, and it isn't her fault that Gianna and Demetri liked her enough to name her and Edward as Godparents. Edward is her husband, I would expect him to put her first. Jasper loves her like a sister, so he watches out for her when Edward can't. My parents love her, yes. Do you know why?"

I don't answer, but he continues.

"Because she made the effort to get to know them. She's genuine, Esme. She doesn't put up an act to get people to like her. It was important for her to get along with all of us; because she loves Edward and she wants his family to like the woman he chose to marry."

I didn't say anything, or move, so he continued.

"My parents had someone picked out for me to marry, and I went against them by choosing you. They took it out on you, and I'm sorry things happened that way, but it is what it is. My parents love you, Esme, today – in the here and now, they love you. And our sons are grown men. It is normal for them to find a woman to marry and start a family with. They are not little boys anymore."

I frowned and turned away from him, not wanting him to see me cry.

"This is not you, Es. Angry and jealous doesn't look good on you."

I turned to him angrily, "How dare you say that to me?"

"And what do you want me to say?" he snapped. "You want me to say you are right, and you can treat people however you like? Because you do have that right, you can treat _anyone_ in _any way_ you want, but you cannot expect people to agree with it. You cannot treat your daughter-in-law like shit and expect your son to accept it. Or me for that fact."

My eyes widened, but Carlisle continued, "Isabella _is_ like a daughter to me, and I treat her as such." He lowered his voice, "She has already proven herself to me and to this family, so even if you try to push her away, she isn't going anywhere. Our son would be dead today if it wasn't for her, and I will be forever grateful to her for that. So you can choose to continue acting like a child or grow up and act like the woman I married. It's your choice. But you are pushing your family away by acting like this."

He pushed away from the counter, standing tall and straight, and I watched him as he walked out of the room.

I finished cooking dinner, and placed everything in the dining room. It looked lovely, perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. But for the first time ever, I felt no satisfaction. For the first time ever, my sons would not be sitting at our table for Thanksgiving dinner. And it was completely my fault.

I pulled a chair out, and sat down heavily. My eyes were focused on the place setting in front of me.

"It feels awful, doesn't it?" I looked up quickly to find Francesca standing at the edge of the room. "Having your child and husband angry with you, especially on the holiday, is difficult."

She walked into the room and pulled out a chair, "you know, Esme." She said quietly, and then looked at me with narrowed eyes. "I am sorry that I treated you so badly when Carlisle first brought you home."

She smoothed her skirt, "I had a vision for him. A perfect girl, which would lead to the perfect marriage, and a perfect family. She was born in Italy, to a very traditional family, we had all been friends for years.

"Carlisle was fond of her, but he wasn't _in love_ with her. I could see that, of course, but I thought, in time, he would see what a wonderful girl she was. Both Evelina, that was her mother,and I, had pretty much planned out their entire wedding. Our husbands told us that we were getting in over our heads and we should talk to them before making all of the plans. But we shooed them away, telling them they didn't know anything. We pushed Carlisle and Alessandra together at every chance. I can see now, that it was my fault. My pushing probably kept them apart.

Carlisle was working with Santo by this time, he had just returned from college, and I had hopes that he would accept Alessandra and would settle down. So imagine my surprise when he brings you home. A woman with an American upbringing," she laughed. "I was mortified. How would I explain this to Evelina and to our family. Dear God, I imagined we would be shunned."

"Of course, people were more traditional back then. And if you were Italian, you knew of the families. It was just a known thing back then, not like now. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with _you_, Esme. You were, and still are, a lovely woman. You were very polite, you spoke to the family in Italian..." she trailed off. "I was embarrassed of my behavior, toward my son, my husband, and my friend. I disregarded his feelings and only cared about my own selfish want. But I was angry at you because you were the cause of my embarrassment. I didn't want to know you because I felt like I was betraying my friend.

Alessandra was very taken with Carlisle and was heartbroken when he announced his engagement to you. I felt it was all my fault that he chose you over her. So I deflected, and I blamed you."

Francesca was quiet for a moment, but her eyes were trained on me, and for the life of me, I could not look away.

"Esme, learn from my mistakes. Do not go down this road with Isabella. Think back to how long it took us to repair our relationship. Do you really want to go through years of awkward conversation with your son and his wife? Do you want your grandchildren to look at you differently because they can sense that their mother is uncomfortable around you?"

I couldn't stop my eyes from watering at the thought that my grandchildren would not like me. Or that my son would have a grudge against me. Or that Isabella would dislike me so much that we would never be friends, _family._

"Learn from my mistakes, Esme. Make amends with Isabella, before it's too late." Francesca stood up and looked at the food spread across the table. "And I would suggest you start now, it would be such a waste for this feast to go uneaten."

I smiled weakly, as she placed a hand on my cheek.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Time to act like an adult and face my daughter-in-law.

~~Bella~~

We had just walked into the kitchen, deciding to make chicken parmigiana. We had enough that each of the guys could have three pieces each, and I still worried that it wouldn't be enough. Well, at least for Emmett.

I pulled out what we needed from the pantry when the doorbell rang. I stood still, tense, wondering who it could be. No, I knew who it would be but I was hoping it would be someone else.

Edward's voice interrupted my thoughts, "Baby, can you come out here for a moment?"

Damn. My shoulders slumped a bit and I closed the pantry door. Edward walked up behind me, placing his hands on the sides of my neck. He was so close, I could feel his breath on my skin.

"Please?" he asked, softly. I know it hurts him to see that his mother and I aren't getting along, but it isn't my fault!

I tilt my head and look at him, pleading. "Just hear her out, she looks upset. I'll stay with you, if you want."

Closing my eyes, I let out a deep breath and nodded. "I'll be right back," I called out to the girls. Tanya's eyes were worried, and she looked a little pissed.

I walked into the entry way, holding Edward's hand tightly in my own. Esme was standing stiffly, looking at the pictures I had sitting on the console table near the door.

A lot of them were pictures of Edward and Matt, they were so beautiful together. But there were also photos of Edward and me, and a few of the three of us together. I love our little family, and I can't wait until next summer to welcome another little Cullen.

"Ma," Edward said, quietly.

She turned quickly, and I could see that she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was holding a framed photograph in her hand. She noticed that I glanced at it, and she lifted it and smiled.

"You all look beautiful together," her voice was quiet, raspy.

I didn't answer her, but I smiled when I saw the picture frame she held. It held three photos - One of Edward and Matt, one of Matt and me, and the last was all three of us sitting in the big chair by the fireplace; I was sitting on Edward's lap and we both had a hand on Matteo who sat in between us.

She carefully placed the photograph back on the table and cleared her throat, smoothing her top before looking at me. Edward gestured toward the dining room, and pulled a seat out for both of us.

"Isabella," she said, glancing at Edward and then back at me. "I came here to explain why I have been so horrible to you lately." She took a breath, and shook her head, "I know an apology will mean nothing to you, as I have already apologized once. But I feel like I owe you an explanation, and I hope you will find it in your heart to hear me out before cutting me out of your..." she trailed off. "I don't know. So," she bit her lip and looked at Edward again. I almost felt bad about how uncomfortable she looked, almost.

After clearing her throat again, "The night that you and Edward went to the hospital to collect Matteo, I was feeling cheated. We had just been to a funeral," she crossed herself as she thought of Johnny. "And then two of our family members were killed, at my home. The fact that Gianna held on long enough to deliver her child was just...amazing and sad. I hurt because she would never meet the baby she carried, the baby she loved so much."

My eyes narrowed, but I held my tongue. Edward's hand tightened around mine, and I swallowed loudly. Here we go again.

"I was angry, not at either of you, but at the situation. And the more I thought about it the more angry I became. Then we went to the hospital and," her face pinked. "We were at the hospital and everyone was fawning over _you."_

I frowned at her, "are you kidding me, right now? Fawning over me?"

She shook her head and raised a hand. "You don't understand, I am the woman in this family. Edward and Jasper are my sons, Carlisle is my husband. But that night, they were not worried about me. They were worried about _you. _You and Edward."

My entire body stiffened. "So you are telling me, that you were angry with me because Edward, _my fiance_, was worrying about me and not you? That when Jasper and Carlisle came to the hospital, they asked how I was doing? That they were concerned for the baby and Edward?"

Esme didn't speak, she stared at her hands.

"That is so fucking ridiculous," I said under my breath. With more volume, I spoke again, "I tried to talk to you, I asked you how you were doing. We all did and you ignored all of us. You wouldn't let anyone near you. You snapped at me, at Edward, at Nonna Cesca. You ignored Carlisle when he walked into the room."

She frowned, "What? No one spoke to me."

Edward laughed, "Ma, come on, you don't remember? Anytime one of us came near you, you wrapped your arms around yourself and turned away. You told us to leave you alone."

She really looked confused, did she really not remember?

"I don't..." she swallowed loudly and ran her hands through her hair. "I don't remember anything other than being angry that all of the men in my life were now paying attention to you. They were doting on you. They were worried about you. And I know you had to have done something to gain Carlisle's trust so quickly, and the thought that you held a firmer stance in the family than I did, was looping over and over in my mind."

My eyes widened at her words, "What?" I gasped.

She wiped a tear away with the tips of her fingers, "It's all I could think about. That I was losing my family, I was losing the people that normally depended on me. My children are grown men that don't need me anymore," she sobbed.

Edward stood and walked over to her, hugging her tightly and whispering in her ear.

Oh my God, how could she think that her husband and sons loved me more than her?

I sat quietly, thinking about what she'd said. How would I feel if I had a solid, stable place in this family and I suddenly felt that people were not safe in my home? If a new woman came into our lives and attracted the attention of the men that normally relied on me? My youngest son, no longer eats weeknight dinners at home, but with his girlfriend? My eldest son, protects this girl as he would his sister? Her husband treats this girl like his daughter, doting on her, worrying about her, consoling her? Would I feel like an outsider in my own home? With my own family?

My shoulders slump; _yes, I would._

Esme has calmed slightly, and Edward is sitting in between us. "I am sorry, Isabella. Francesca helped me realize I was acting childish and letting my insecurities get the best of me. We had a very difficult time when I married Carlisle, Francesca hated me. And she sat me down and told me to remember how I felt during that time. And..." she was crying softly, "and I don't want you to feel that way. I don't want to ruin our relationship before it starts. I know that you don't allow many people into your heart, and I don't want you to hate me."

"Esme," I whispered. I breathed in a shaky breath. "Okay," I bit my lip. Shit. "Okay, let's start over. I am not saying that I forgive you or that I trust you, but I am willing to work on this," I gestured between the two of us. "If you are."

She covered her mouth with her hands, and nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly.

We all sat at the dining room table, lost in our own thoughts. I could only imagine what was going through Edward's mind.

Esme cleared her throat, "Uh, it's still Thanksgiving, and dinner is all prepared if you want to join us."

Her voice was timid, almost embarrassed. Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow that said, _this is all you, babe._

I nodded slightly, "We should gather the troops."

Emmett walked in carrying Matt, followed by everyone else. "Alright! You kissed and made up?" Emmett said loudly, making Matt jump. "Oh, sorry little man."

Esme laughed, uneasily.

"Come on, let's go eat."

Everyone walked slowly out of the apartment, "We'll be there in a minute," Edward called out and shut the door.

He pulled me into his arms, "Are you okay?"

I breathed him in, my forehead resting on his chest. Am I okay? I don't really know. I've already built that wall to keep Esme out, I don't know how easily that wall will come down.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Thank you," Edward said, making me look up at him. "For trying. I know this isn't easy for you, I can already see that you've put walls up. But thanks for giving her a chance to make it right."

I smiled, "I'd do anything for you, you know that?"

He smiled and kissed me softly. "Let's go, before Emmett eats everything."

I laughed, we made our way downstairs and walked into his parents' home, as voices were loud and laughter rang throughout the room. It was just what I always imagined a big Thanksgiving dinner would look like.

Carlisle came up to me and gave me a tight squeeze, his eyes showing gratitude and love. And this is what helped me come to grips with my decision; I would try to get along with Esme because I can only imagine what my life will be like when Matteo brings a girl home, gets married, has children – and I am no longer the number one woman in his life.

When Carlisle pulled away and hugged Edward, I looked up to find Esme looking at me with a small smile. She shrugged, and then turned back toward the dining room.

Yes, I will try. It's the least I can do, because hell, I'll probably be in this same position one day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hello Everyone! How are you on this fine Tuesday evening? I hope you like this one, Esme & Bella drama is over! woohoo. It was stressing me out.

Thanks to all of you for the fantastic reviews! I tried to respond to everyone but I am not sure if I did. Welcome to all of the newbies that joined us! I loved reading the chapter by chapter reviews, they made me so happy. You guys are fantastic. And to the Guest reviewers that I could not respond to, Thanks a bunch!

Just an FYI, I signed up for the StandUpForKatalina fundraiser that is going on. I hope all of will take a minute to go to the website and take a look. Katalina . Fandomcause . info

Thanks so much for all of the support, you guys.

Until next time...


	40. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own them…..

_edward_

We were all sitting around drinking, and listening to music. Em has been trying to convince me to have a bachelor party for the past thirty minutes.

"Dude, come on. Let us single people enjoy the end of your bachelorhood!"

I laughed, "Seriously? Isn't that what we're doing now?" I asked, waving my hand at the stage where the girls were dancing.

Jasper gave me a fist bump, "Right?"

James and Emmett both groaned, "Man..." James started, but stopped suddenly tipping his head behind me.

Bella was walking up to us looking sexy as hell. Tight black dress, red shiny belt, red heels, a black wool coat draped over one arm, and her purse in the other hand. By the time I made it to her face and hair, she was already standing in front of me.

"Hey baby," she said quietly, kissing my cheek. I stood and offered her my chair as she said "Hello boys, sorry to interrupt the titty and ass ogling."

Jasper laughed and kissed her cheek before going to get her a drink from the bar. I took a chair from the next table and sat next to her.

"So," she dragged out the word and looked at me with a mischievous smile. "I was thinking..."

Jasper came back with her drink and she thanked him.

"You guys are planning a bachelor party, right?" I shrugged, and Em nodded furiously.

She laughed, "Okay, well I have an idea. I don't really want a party and I don't know about you," she looked at me, "but I was thinking we could all go to Vegas for the weekend."

Bella's eyes were bright with excitement, "We could go clubbing, gambling, it would be so fun! And I've never been there before. I think it would be a good time for us all to hang out together. What do you think?"

I looked over at Jasper, and he shrugged. "I'll talk to Carlisle, we'll have to make some calls."

Emmett and James fist bumped, and I shook my head laughing. "Okay. What about the kid?"

She frowned, "Well, Nonna Cesca and Esme offered to watch him. I don't really want to leave him, but..."

I cut her off with a kiss, "We'd get a whole weekend together."

She smiled, and blushed. Hell yes, "Great idea."

"Alright, knock that shit off," Jasper said, with a laugh.

Bella laughed, and sat up a little straighter. "So what're you guys doing?" Her face was completely serious, with a raised eyebrow. She took a drink of her soda, frowning before handing it to me.

I sipped it, rum and coke. I tossed it back and got up to get her another drink, chancing a glance at James and Emmett who looked completely confused by Bella's question. James was glancing at the stage and then back at Bella with a look that said, _are you serious right now?_

"Stop fucking with him Isa," Jasper said. "They aren't smart enough to know you're fucking around."

My girl's laugh was music.

* * *

><p><em><span>jasper<span>_

Fucking hell. Why does my head feel like it weighs eight hundred pounds? I groaned, and then almost cried because it hurt so much.

Giggling, who the fuck is laughing?

Click. Click.

What the hell is going on?

I open my eyes, but just barely. The room is dark, thank God.

"Fratello!" Edward yelled and I swear my eardrums ruptured. I was literally fucking crying, now. I could feel the tears on my face.

I pulled the pillow over my head, "Hey, asshole. Get up. We gotta go."

"Noooooo."

"Idiot. If you aren't up in five minutes, I'm going to throw your ass into the shower and turn on every fucking light and open every window."

"Alright!" I screamed, "Shit!" my fucking head is going to explode.

When I sat up, I felt shit sticking to my skin. What…? I couldn't even focus on whatever was on my skin. But someone was giggling again. Click. Click.

"Isa," I said as quietly as possible, "stop taking fucking pictures."

There were sunglasses on the side table, so I slid them onto my face and walked to the bathroom. I could hear swishing, but I was too fucking focused on walking to figure out where the sound was coming from.

I walked into the bathroom and thank God there was an option to dim the lights.

I walked over, picked up the toilet lid and took a long piss. I took a deep breath, already feeling better. I flushed the toilet and then turned on the shower. While the water warmed up, I went to the sink to brush my teeth. I carefully put toothpaste on my travel toothbrush.

Man, what the fuck did I do last night? I don't remember this being such a difficult task.

I ran the toothbrush under the water and then looked up. My hand with the toothbrush stopped before it got to my mouth, but my mouth was hanging open at the fucking reflection in the mirror.

"AHHHHHHH!" I threw the sunglasses off of my face and holy shit. I swallowed loudly and then I heard laughing outside the bathroom door.

I ran to the door, throwing it open. "What the fuck!" I had completely forgotten about my head hurting when I saw my fucking hair and face.

Isa had her camera in her hand and snapped a couple of pictures, in between laughing.

"Oh," she gasped, "Cover that up!" she waved her hand toward my dick.

I swiped a towel off of the counter. "What the hell?"

"Dude, you are the one who wanted to have a bachelor party last night with those 'hot chicks'. Tanya convinced them you were straight but wanted to see what it was like to dress in drag. And this," he waved his hand at me, "is the result."

"Mother fuck…"

"You are not an attractive woman, Jas. But your hair looks fabulous," Isa said running the tips of her fingers through my hair.

I smacked her hand away, "Knock that shit off. You guys are assholes," I said and slammed the door to the bathroom.

"And I am not an ugly woman!" I said. Isa's laugh was so loud that I couldn't help but smile. Something hit the floor and then Edward was laughing, also.

"Assholes."

* * *

><p><em>bella<em>

I tipped my head back again, howling with laughter. I just couldn't stop. Every time I looked over at Jasper all I saw was his big blond Texas hair, lime green lipstick, pink and green eye shadow and ridiculously long fake eyelashes. Let's not even get started on his costume jewelry, or the body glitter.

Something hit my head, "I'm sorry! But…" I started laughing again, bending over at the waist, and trying to hide my face in Edward's chest. I could feel Edward's chest moving with his chuckles also.

"I swear, Isa, if those pictures ever surface," Jasper said, shaking his head.

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, big brother," I answered, blowing him a kiss.

"It fucking better," he wasn't as angry about it now. But he was not happy that he couldn't remember what the hell happened Saturday night.

No worries though, I have pictures of all of it. Man, that was a good time. I was worried that I would be bored since I couldn't drink but I had the best time ever. Watching all of the guys get drunk was hilarious.

Edward didn't drink much, or use any other chemical enhancements, so he was pretty much laughing right along with me. I wouldn't have minded if he had let loose, but he said one of them needed to be on point. And he was really fucking worried about me taking pictures I could use against him.

~~u~~

Tanya took this week off of work to help me finalize the wedding.

I am getting married in 5 days! Well, re-married in front of our family and friends. And I'm so excited. I cannot wait for everyone to know that I am officially, Mrs. Edward Cullen. Just thinking it makes me smile.

"Baby, where do we need to go today? Jas and Tanya are coming too. We'll go eat and then do whatever you need to do."

"Okay, let's go take Matt over to Nonna Cesca's and then we can go eat…wherever. After that we need to pick up the tuxes."

And this is how the day went. It was actually very relaxed. A couple of hours running errands and then we were on our way home. We picked up the things we would need for the wedding. The wedding planner did most of the other stuff. Tanya had the restaurant on check, the cake was good to go, the photographer, Charity, worked for me – so that was a no brainer. She was really excited about it too.

We moved back into Edward's apartment in the South Loop. The building was secure, but nothing like the one we had been staying in.

We had the nursery set up for Matt. Honestly, it was so nice to have more space. And I'm not going to lie, I was happy Matt wasn't sleeping in the same room as us anymore.

The apartment had four bedrooms, all with an ensuite. The colors were all very neutral, but nice and comforting. Edward had someone come in and clean and change all of the linens yesterday, so the apartment was ready for company. And the refrigerator was stocked.

Edward and I started cooking, filet mignon with red wine sauce with mashed potatoes and asparagus tips. I was craving red meat like crazy. I couldn't get enough steak. Rob said it was okay, that I was probably just craving nutrients my body was lacking. But he told me not to over do it, and try to balance out what I eat. Edward was just happy I wasn't eating the crazy things he's seen on TV, like pickles in peanut butter. I shiver, that doesn't even sound appetizing.

Jasper and Tanya were keeping Matt busy while Edward and I stepped out onto the balcony so he could smoke. It was really cold out here, so Edward pulled me into a hug and wrapped his coat around me. I kissed his chest and snuggled close to him.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. I haven't been sick this week. Maybe it's all of the salt and meat I'm eating."

"Maybe," he laughed, and pushed his hips into me.

"Your like a fourteen year old boy, sometimes," I laughed.

"I know, but I love that you always laugh. Think of it as good preparation for when Matteo is a teenager."

"Ugh, don't talk about that. I don't want to even think about fast little girls hanging all over him."

Edward laughed, "Oh baby, you just don't know. Don't worry, he'll have Uncle Jasper and me teaching him the ropes. You'll never even meet those fast girls."

"Not helping, Edward," I said, pinching his side.

He kept laughing as he put out his cigarette and we walked back inside.

I went immediately for Matt and kissed his little face, "no dating until your thirty, okay baby boy?"

The doorbell rang and Edward walked over to the answer it, still laughing at me.

"Hi, Come in. She's so excited you guys are here," I heard him say.

I walked over quickly, seeing Angela taking off her coat. "Bella!" She screamed and pulled me into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you. I miss you so much."

"Me too, Angie." We stood like that for a few minutes, until Matt made a little grunting noise.

"Oh, sorry baby," I cooed. "Angela, this is Matt. Matt this is one of my oldest and best friends, Angela."

He gave her a toothless smile, "Bella, he's gorgeous." She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, "I can't believe you're a mom. Gimme, gimme."

She took him from my arms, and gazed at him. Matt stared back with wide eyes.

"Hey Bella," Ben said, beside me.

"Ben! Hi. How are you?" I pulled him into a tight hug. I felt bad that we had a not so pleasant conversation in our future later.

"I'm great. You look beautiful, Bella. Chicago," he smirked, shooting a quick glance at Edward, "and Edward suit you."

I smacked his arm. "Shut up. Come inside, dinner should be ready and I can introduce you to Edward's brother and my friend."

"Hey, your friend is _my_ girlfriend," Jasper said, standing up to shake hands with Ben.

I waved a hand in the air, "she was _my_ friend first, so I claim her."

"Tanya," she said introducing herself to Angela and Ben with a laugh. "Friend and girlfriend extraordinaire."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Edward said, ducking out of the way when Tanya went to smack him.

Dinner was amazing. The food was great, our friends and family joked and laughed throughout dinner and Matt was an angel.

As the night wound down, Jasper and Tanya said their goodbyes promising to be here around noon the next day.

I took Matt into the nursery, changed him and got him settled for the night. Angela and I made small talk about work, and what was going on back home. She seemed a little sad, and I could only imagine what people were saying about Peter and Charlotte in Forks.

I agreed to let Edward lead this conversation because I don't want to say anything that might make them suspicious, but I also don't want to lie to my friends.

Edward had set a tray of Zeppole we picked up earlier today, and a carafe on the coffee table, along with coffee cups, dessert plates, and the cream and sugar.

I smiled and kissed his cheek, "thank you."

Ben took a deep breath, reaching for Angela's hand. "So, I don't want this to be awkward but it was pretty obvious something bad happened with Peter and Charlotte when you guys were in Washington. And they aren't anywhere to be found now. The police have been to our house to question us and there's all kinds of crazy shit in the newspaper. Do you guys…can you tell us what happened?"

I turned to Edward, frowning. He smiled softly, kissing my forehead.

Edward took a deep breath, "We found out that Peter's family is actually related to Bella. They kept some pretty serious secrets from Bella involving trouble with her mom, and that lead to people seeking out Bella for payment."

Angela gasped, "your mom?"

I snuggled into Edward's side. "It's been a difficult few months, and by the time we figured out what was going on, Peter and Charlotte had already left. They didn't tell us where they were going; they just disappeared. I tried to call Peter a few times, but he never answered my calls."

"We've been tying up loose ends. And then my stepbrother passed away leaving his child to us, so it's been really crazy around here. I told Bella not to say anything to you guys about what was going on. I didn't want her discussing it over the phone. Please don't be upset with her."

"Of course not," Angela answered, and then looked over at Ben. "Look, we know who you are, and I can tell that you love my friend, which is all I've ever wanted for her. A lot of news has been coming out about the Aro family, your family and another family," she frowned, "Something with a B, in Washington. They raided Pete and Charlotte's house and took a bunch of boxes out of it."

Angela looked at her lap, and when she looked back up at us, she was crying. "We thought they were dead."

Ben held her in his arms. "It's been pretty scary, all of the police and stuff. They questioned us but we told them we didn't know anything. We were worried that they were tapping our phones and shit."

"When did this start?" Edward asked, leaning forward.

"Maybe a month ago?" he said, in more of a question looking over at Angela.

"Yes, about a month. When the news about the Aros being in Chicago came out. It was so strange that they were making such a big deal about it in the Seattle newspapers. I didn't get it, until they mentioned Pete and Char."

"I'm going to make a quick call," Edward said, squeezing my hand before pulling out his cell and walking out onto the patio.

"Are you okay, Bella? You're safe here?" Ben asked.

I chuckled, and shook my head. "There is no doubt that I would be dead right now if it wasn't for Edward and our family."

Ben blew out a long breath, and nodded. "Good. It's really good to see you, Bella. And I'm glad your okay."

I smiled and reached across to take each of their hands, "Me too. Thanks so much for coming here. Even knowing, all of this," I waved my hand around. "I'm really glad you're here."

~~u~~

The next couple of days were just…crazy. Spa day, final fittings, hair appointments, nail appointments, and snow. Lots and lots of snow; all over the city.

I know this can create a hell of a problem with deliveries and getting to the church on time, but my wedding pictures are going to be gorgeous. I couldn't be happier. It isn't supposed to snow on Saturday, but it is so cold outside that the snow isn't going anywhere.

We are getting ready for our rehearsal dinner, at the Omni Hotel. The place where this all started.

Seven months ago, I was a scared, naïve girl. I wasn't prepared to deal with the terrifyingly beautiful man that had spared my life; but sentenced me to a different one.

But as I look back on it, Edward is the best thing that could have ever happened to me. He brought me out of my shell, he gave me a family, and he gives me unconditional love every day.

I feel his hands on my waist, and I lean into him, close my eyes and let the happiness consume me.

edward

Bella is standing by the window, looking out at the city. It's dark outside, and I can see her reflection in the glass.

I stand in the doorway watching her. She's so fucking beautiful. She has a small smile on her face, and she's playing with the ring on her finger.

I wish I could hear what she's thinking.

All I can think about is her. Her laughter, her smile, her love; she soothes my soul. She makes my heart feel whole. She's my entire world, and I would end anyone who threatened it.

Unable to be in the same room and not touch her, I walk over to her. My hands find her waist, and she leans back against my chest.

"I love you," I say, quietly, not wanting to disturb the soft atmosphere in the room. My eyes are still watching her in the glass.

Her smile widens, her eyes open and capture mine. "Edward," she says, and then laughs. "I love you, more than you'll ever know."

She turns in my arms, and angles her face to place a soft kiss on my chin. "I can't wait to marry you."

I kiss her, hoping she can feel how much I love her, how much I want her, how much she owns me.

I rest my forehead against hers. "You look beautiful."

Her small hands grip my face and she lays a smack on my lips, making me laugh. "I'm so happy. Thank you," she says.

I wrap my arms tightly around her, absorbing the love and happiness that is pouring from her.

"Are you ready?"

She nods, "Yes. Did you see Matt? He looks so cute in his little suit."

I laughed, "Yeah, he's smooth. He'll have the ladies all over him tonight."

Bella giggled, "Right?"

We walked into the living room finding Jasper and Tanya, Ben and Angela, my parents, and my grandparents.

I couldn't help but choke up at the sight of them, each holding a wine glass in a toast to us.

"Alla coppia!"

I looked down at Bella, she had tears in her eyes, but her smile was radiant. And when she looked up at me, I kissed her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a/n: Hello everyone, sorry for the slight delay. I was working on the outtake for the Stand Up 4 Katalina compilation. If you guys haven't been over to the site, please check it out. A lot of amazing Authors are participating and there are some great Banner Artists on there as well. Many thanks to LosT-in-TwiFic for making a banner for me, it is beautiful.

I apologize for not responding to all of your reviews. My life has been a little crazy this week, but…as always, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I love hearing from you.

Oh! and zeppole is a cream puff that is fried, not baked, and filled with custard. Well, the one I am thinking of is made this way. Delish!

Ok, I'll shut up now. Hope you liked it! Until next time….rr


	41. Chapter 39

~~bella~~

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. You've already done this. You're already married. You can do this.

"Isabella," I look behind me in the mirror to find Francesca standing in the doorway. She looks beautiful in a silver gown, her hair pulled up in an elegant twist, pearls around her neck and adorning her ears.

I smile. "You look beautiful," I tell her.

She smiles at me, and waves her hand. "This," she says, wiggling her hips. "I don't matter today. But you," she shakes her head and pulls me into a hug, "Breathtaking. My grandson won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

I take a shaky breath and return my attention to the mirror. My dress is perfect; strapless and lacy, with silk that wraps around my waist and falls in waves to the floor. My hair is in big, loose curls underneath the veil that Nonna Cesca gave me in Italy.

Her delicate hands smooth it out, and she wraps a lock of my hair around her finger, before tucking it underneath the veil.

"Isabella, you have brought so much happiness to my family. My grandson, obviously," she laughs, "but to my son, my husband and Jasper. Even Esme loves you."

I shake my head, smiling, but keeping eye contact with her through the mirror.

"Thank you for teaching my boys how to love. Edward, God bless him, would never have settled down. You are the other half of his soul. And Jasper, well," she rolls her eyes. "He loves you like a sister and he loves you in a way he's never loved a woman. It's helped him grow up. And I think the love you and Edward share is rubbing off on him."

She's quiet for a moment, and then she walks over to her purse and pulls out a box.

"I wore this when I married Santo," she smiles. "It was one of the happiest days of my life. Our wedding was very small, only our families. But he snuck in to see me before the wedding. I remember," she laughed. "I was so angry. I just knew he was going to curse us by seeing me before the wedding; but at the same time, I was so happy to see his face."

She has the most beautiful smile on her face, and her eyes are far away; reliving the moment with her fiancé.

She looks at me again, with watery eyes and places her hand on my cheek. "He says to me, '_Cesca, ti amo. Sempre.' _And he placed this bracelet on my wrist." She clasps the bracelet on my right hand.

I gasp, "It's beautiful," I say quietly.

It is a cuff bracelet with gold, white enamel and diamonds. A diamond flower decorates each end, and a wave of diamonds embedded in gold wrap around the rest of the cuff.

"Santo said, '_Cesca this is the symbol of our love affair. Never forget that whatever happens, my heart beats for you.' _It was the most beautiful moment. I still love him like I did that day, with every beat of my heart and breath from my lungs. We have had struggles, we have fought to the point that we didn't speak, and I've feared for his life more than once. Marriage is not easy, but it is worth everything in the end."

We are both wiping away tears, and I am gripping her in a tight hug. "Thank you so much," I whisper.

"Okay," she says, with a final squeeze. "Enough of this. Let's fix your makeup so you can marry my grandson."

I laugh, "I can't wait. Have you seen him?"

She nods and winks at me, "He's very handsome in his tuxedo. He and Matteo are making the women pass out as they enter the church."

We carry on giggling like schoolgirls as everyone else walks into the room.

Tanya and I share a long hug, before she slaps my ass and says, "You look hot, bitch."

Angela, Rachel and Esme walk in shortly after. Angela tears up and hugs me tight for a long time. Rachel kisses my cheek and says I look beautiful. Esme has tears in her eyes as she approaches me.

"Isabella, you're lovely." She says, giving me a tentative hug. I'm not sure what to say. She keeps her hands on my arms but leans back to look at me. "Please forgive me. I'm so sorry for everything. Edward is my baby boy," she says,as a tear falls from her eye. "I have never seen him happier than when he is with you."

I smile, and give her a hug. "Thank you," I answer quietly. "Forgiveness is not the problem, but it will take time to forget."

She smiles and nods, wiping her tears.

There's a quick knock on the door, and we all look up as Carlisle pokes his head in. "Ladies, you all look beautiful." He says, as he kisses Esme's cheek and then turns to me.

"Isabella, you are a vision," he pulls me into a hug, and kisses my cheek. "My son is a lucky man."

I laugh, and shrug. Carlisle smiles, "We have a tradition," he trails off looking at Esme, and then Nonna Cesca. Santo walks into the room at that moment as well. "It is a tradition for a man to carry a piece of iron in his pocket, for good luck. It is also considered good luck for the veil of the bride to be torn." Esme and Nonna Cesca pick up the veil. I wanted to cry;they are going to tear my veil?

Carlisle laughed, "Don't worry, sweetheart." He pulled a piece of yellowed lace from his pocket. "This lace has been passed from generation to generation in our family." Nonna Cesca took the lace from him, with a kiss to his cheek.

"Take hold of the lace, Isabella," she said.

I held a corner, and Nonna Cesca held the other side. A quick tug and the lace split separating it into two halves. Nonna Cesca handed the piece back to Carlisle, and then took the piece I was holding and tied it around my bouquet of flowers.

"May you and Edward always have love and happiness," I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Everyone hugged me and then Esme helped me with my make up, again.

"Make sure you have that make up bag with you for the pictures, I have a feeling I'm going to need it."

"Are you ready, honey?" Santo asked. "It's time."

I took a deep breath and nodded. Here we go.

~~edward~~

I was in an anti room just off of the main entrance to the church. I could hear music, and the chatter of people echoed in the large room.

My nerves were getting the better of me. What the hell? I am already married to Bella, but the idea of all of those people out there watching us…I rolled my neck.

Why did we decide to do this again? We should have just told everyone we were already married and just threw a big reception.

Matteo squirmed in my arms. "What's wrong little man? The monkey suit bothering you too?" I adjust him in my arms so that he was sitting on my forearm, allowing him to see what was going on.

Jasper, Emmett and Paul were standing with me today. I looked over to find them all leaning casually against the wall, talking quietly.

It's been a tough year, and those guys have been with me for every part of it. I took a minute to close my eyes and say a prayer for Demetri. He would have been here with me too. I kissed Matteo's head, knowing that Demetri is with us in spirit.

My father came into the room and smiled. "She's gorgeous, Edward; A vision in white. You've done well, son. I couldn't be more proud of you in this moment." He pulled me into a hug. "Are you ready? It's time."

I blew out a deep breath, and nodded. He took Matteo from me, who looked up at me, lips trembling.

"Oh, don't cry little man. Mama and I will see you in a few, alright?" I kissed his chubby hand and gave him his pacifier.

"Let's do this," I said, and hugged the guys as they passed me. My father patted my cheek, and then followed them out.

Another deep breath, a few jumping jacks, all right. I'm ready to go.

I stepped out into the Nave of the church, and I was bombarded with the sent of candles. And the church was completely packed. I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead. I don't like being the center of attention.

"Hey," Jasper leaned in. "You all right?"

"I don't like everyone staring at me."

He laughed, "They're looking at me, forget about it."

I looked over at him, and laughed. "Idiot."

The music changed, and the doors opened. My parents and Matteo walked up the aisle. Matteo's eyes were big as he looked around the room. His face lit up when he saw me, and I couldn't help but smile.

My grandmother walked in next, with my cousin James. Then Angela followed by Tanya and Rachel.

The doors had been closed after Rachel walked in and the music changed once again.

Ave Maria sounded loudly throughout the church, echoing in the high ceilings and bouncing off of the shiny floor.

The doors opened, once more, revealing Bella and my grandfather.

My breath caught. A veil covered her face, but she was breathtaking. Her dress was strapless, but flared out at the waist, following after her like she was caught in a breeze. The waves of material trailing her made it look like she was floating.

When she finally reached me, I walked down the steps to take her hand. My grandfather lifted her veil, and whispered in her ear, before kissing her cheek and replacing the material over her face.

My grandfather looked at me with tears in his eyes, and hugged me tightly before taking the seat next to my grandmother.

"Baby, you're beautiful," I whispered, and kissed her hand.

She smiled brightly and whispered, "I love you."

I smiled, moving her hand to the crook of my elbow as I helped her up the stairs. She handed her bouquet of flowers to Angela, who was already crying, and took a shaky breath before looking at the priest.

~~bella~~

I couldn't stop shaking. There were so many people, but my husband stood tall and proud next to me. That was enough to help me calm down and listen to what was being said.

The mass was in Italian. Father John spoke English during part of the mass, but all of the traditional pieces were in Italian.

Kneeling was a huge ordeal. Angela had to help me adjust my dress every time. There was so much fabric; I was worried I would tear it.

We listened to the choir sing, we prayed, we listened to readings, offered peace to our friends and family; Edward and I exchanged _I love __yous _instead of the traditional words_. _We took communion, and I asked my father to watch over us, and to keep us safe.

The wedding mass was close to an hour and a half long. This was so very different from our wedding in Italy, but the tradition of it is beautiful. I was so overwhelmed, that I was worried I wouldn't remember every detail. The smell of the candles, the sound of our voices as we said our vows, how a single tear slid down Edward's face when he said _I do_.

Nonna Cesca was right; this is the most significant moment of my life. I will cherish it always.

Before I knew it, my veil was being lifted and we were pronounced husband and wife, and I kissed Edward in front of our family, friends, and God.

He rested his forehead against mine with a big smile on his face. "Ti amo, mia Bella."

I closed my eyes and absorbed his love; tears flowing freely down my face as the Father John's voice carried through the church, "Vi presento, per la prima vota, Signore e Signora Edoardo Cullen." (I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen.)

A roar of applause rang through the church, and I laughed. Edward picked me up and spun me around, kissing me chastely when he set me back onto my feet. I whispered _I love you, _against his lips, and he helped me down the stairs, led me down the aisle and through the front doors of the church, into the bright daylight.

_The Party_

~edward~

Dinner.

Speeches.

Toasts.

Sinatra.

Our first dance was the same song we danced to at our engagement party. And I sang to her, just like I did that night. The words had never been truer.

_I've got you under my skin / I've got you deep in the heart of me_.

When the horns chimed in, during the middle of the song, I spun her out and pulled her back into me quickly. She threw her head back in laughter, surprised by my moves, but never missed a step as I pushed her around the floor. And at the end of the song, I kissed her until she was breathless and the guests were whistling and catcalling.

I don't think I've ever smiled so much in my life.

We've had dinner, we've cut the cake and we've been toasting all fucking night. It's been fantastic. But it's a wonder we all aren't fucking drunk off of our asses.I think we have toasted with every person in the room.

Bella has her camera in her hand. She has been snapping photos all night. She says hello, snaps a picture, and hugs the shit out of whomever she talks to. I have been watching her repeat this cycle for a few minutes. My beautiful, crazy, photographer.

She looks amazing. Actually, amazing doesn't even cover it. There are no words for how beautiful she looks right now - happy, and in love. My God, I am grateful to whatever, whomever, threw her into my line of sight.

"Hey, Ed!" James yells out. "Salud!"

I raise my glass but don't drink. I am not risking loss of consciousness on my wedding night. Hell. No.

Bella has Matteo in her arms and she is swaying with him to the song the band is playing.

I set down my glass and weave my way through people and tables; I need to be with them, more than anything.

When I finally reach them, Bella looks up at me with a soft, beautiful smile. And Matteo shifts slightly, his head resting on my chest.

I can see the flash of cameras, but my attention is on my beautiful bride and my son. I am filled with so much warmth in this moment, I feel like I could pass out. I lean in and kiss Bella, whispering_ I love you_ before kissing Matteo's head.

This day has been one of the best of my life. The first being the day Bella chose me in Italy, with Father Domenic as our witness.

~~bella~~

I feel euphoric. I don't know who the hell any of these people are, but I am hugging everyone, and smiling, and snapping photos. I want to remember everything. Everyone. I want to remember exactly how I feel in this moment, this minute.

Edward. I smile just thinking his name. I've taken so many pictures of him today. He is so beautiful. And he looks so happy; I don't think I've ever seen him so carefree, at least not in front of his family. And my heart is swollen with happiness that he feels this way on our wedding day.

We've been dancing all night. Dancing and kissing, the kissing is my favorite. It feels like so much more. It makes no sense, but it's how I feel. Like we've opened up a secret box and the contents cannot be contained. I have to show everyone how much I love him, need him.

"Alright, everyone. Here's the last song of the night. Edoardo e Isabella, congratulazioni per il tuo matrimonio e la felicita molto negli anni a venire!" (Edward and Isabella, congratulations on your wedding and much happiness in the years to come.)

"Isa," Santo called out just as the tune started, "I picked this just for you."

It was just a guitar playing a light tune, before the rest of the band jumped in.

I threw my head back in laughter. Edward's laughter was loud as he started spinning me on the dance floor.

_Hey Mambo/Mambo Italiano/Hey Mambo/Mambo Italiano_

Santo continued to sing through everyone's cheers, and the entire room would yell, _Hey Mambo!_ Whenever he got to the chorus.

We were laughing, dancing and switching partners throughout the song. Toward the end of the song, I was being spun from one partner to the other.

When the song came to a close, I was breathless and back in Edward's arms. And everyone yelled "Salud!"

Best party ever.

**************************************************************************unexptected*********************

a/n: Hi guys! So, so, so sorry for the long delay. RL has had me in crazy mode. But I hope you like this. Thanks so much to all of you for the reviews last chapter. They were awesome and had me laughing my ass off. To all of the Guest reviewers, I was not able to reply, but thanks so much to you also.

As always, thanks so much for reading! Until next time…


	42. Chapter 40

_Disclaimer: I don't own them…_

_Thanks and much love to Sunflower3759 for pre-reading and editing._

* * *

><p><em>The After-Party<em>

~bella~

The hugs and congratulations lasted almost an hour as people made their way out of the restaurant. The staff had already stated cleaning and moving tables out of the way, and some of the guys were transferring all of the gifts to one of the cars. Everyone looked busy and exhausted, but I was wide-awake.

Edward was smiling and joking. God, he's gorgeous; my gorgeous, happy husband. People seemed so surprised by his animation and chatty demeanor today. It was something I got to witness every day, but most others did not. I'm happy everyone got to see the Edward that I know and love. Some of them may never see it again, but just seeing it once is a beautiful thing.

Edward's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. I stepped in to continue the farewells and thank yous.

Suddenly I felt his body behind me, and his breath on my neck, and it made my stomach flip with anticipation.

"Baby, Ty wants to celebrate with us. You up for it?" He whispered in my ear, ending with a kiss just below my lobe.

I turned just enough, and looked up at him. "Where are we going?"

"Clubbing, he's got a VIP reserved," he said against my lips, kissing me softly. He wanted to go out; I could see it in his eyes, neither of us were eager to end this perfect day.

I smiled, and pulled his bottom lip between my teeth. "Yeah."

"Yeah?" he asked, smiling and kissed my chin.

"Hmmmm," was all I could manage when his lips were on my skin.

He chuckled and pulled away, I looked at the people in front of me and my face grew warm. The woman laughed, and kissed my cheek. "Your love is beautiful, enjoy it," she said, with a squeeze to my hands. I wish I knew who she was.

Edward smiled and shook someone's hand before pulling me away and wrapping his arms around me. "Did you bring a change of clothes, or do we need to go to the apartment?"

"I have clothes," I answered quietly, absorbing the warmth from his body.

"Let me look at you," his voice was quiet. He pulled away from me and took one of my hands, encouraging me to spin for him.

I blushed, of course, but did as he asked. My dress flared out at the bottom, and I closed my eyes.

"My God, your beautiful. I want to always remember you like this," he tugged my hand, pulling me back into his arms.

His eyes were shining with happiness and I giggled. "I love you, so, so much."

He leaned in and kissed me softly, swaying me from side to side.

~~u~~

We were in the bathrooms changing, and Tanya was helping me with my dress.

"My God, Bella," she said, "this dress is gorgeous. We need to take into a shop that can preserve it for you."

I smiled, "I hadn't even think of that, but I'll definitely look into it." I ran my hand along the silk and crystal bodice. I love this dress, not as much as the dress I wore in Italy, but it's love just the same.

I slipped into a pair of cropped cigarette pants with leather trim. They hugged me just right. I kept the white corset I wore under my dress and draped the trim jacket that matched my pants over my shoulders. I looked at myself in the mirror; this is going to drive Edward crazy.

"Holy shit, Isa," Rachel cried out, "you look hot!"

I laughed. "Yeah? You think he'll like it?"

"Are you kidding me?" Angela laughed, "I was turned on just watching you guys move around each other all night. Whew…" She trailed off, fanning herself.

Tanya was smiling as she handed each of us a glass of champagne. "A toast," she raised her glass, "Isa, a happy marriage is a matter of give and take; he gives, you take. Happy wedding day!"

We all laughed, and raised our glasses yelling, "Amen!"

I took a small sip before setting the glass down and making a show of checking my makeup in the mirror. Tanya looked at the glass, and then met my eyes in the mirror. I raised an eyebrow, and she matched me an eyebrow, making me smirk.

"You've hardly had anything to drink all night," she said, narrowing her eyes.

I smiled, and grabbed my purse off of the counter and my dress bag off of the door before looking at her. "Let's just say, I want to be coherent for the hours and hours of pleasure my husband is going to give me later."

The room was completely silent as I opened the door.

Edward was leaning on the wall across from the bathroom with a smirk on his face, obviously having heard what I had said.

And right before the door closed, the girls were screaming and laughing. Making me laugh as I walked into Edward's arms.

~~edward~~

We walked into the club, bypassing the line. I was a little lit; I'd been drinking most of the night and I had a smoke with the guys while Bella changed. My body felt loose, relaxed. And having Bella on my arm, as my wife, was making me fly.

I pulled her around so she was hugging me, and walking backward. I leaned in and kissed her slowly; my eyes open, watching where we were going. Fuck. I picked her up, my forearms just under her ass.

"I can't wait to get you home…" I whispered against her lips.

"Hmmm…" was her answer. And I moved her toward the dance floor. Jasper pointed at the VIP room upstairs and I gave him a head nod, setting Bella on her feet, keeping her tight against me.

The heavy beat of the music had our hips moving in sync. My hands were gripping her tiny waist; and my thumbs touching just underneath her breasts.

I leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You look so fucking sexy."

I pulled back to look at her again, unbuttoning her little jacket to find a lacy, white corset underneath. I could see her beautiful creamy skin, and the pink rose buds just underneath the flowers that did a horrible fucking job of covering her up. "Jesus," I groaned.

I wrapped my hand in her hair, pulling her head back so I could kiss her. We were still moving to the beat of the music as her hands tangled in my hair, giving me what I wanted.

People on the floor started yelling, and I could feel the vibration of people jumping. Bella and I pulled apart and moved with the crowd. I held Bella tightly as I guided her off of the dance floor, toward the elevator that would take us up to the VIP room.

Her body moved against mine, in sync with the music and the crowd, and when the elevator opened I pushed her inside, and spun her around to face me. I walked her into the corner and rested my hands on the glass on either side of her head. Her hands were resting on the handrails, her body still rocking to the beat. Her jacket hung open and the corset did lovely things to her breasts. And the tease of flesh visible through the lace had my cock straining painfully.

I leaned in and she tilted up and our lips met. It was fucking erotic and slow and rough at the same time. The elevator dinged before the doors opened and I pulled away, biting my lip.

Bella's eyes were closed, and her lips were swollen and her hair looked fucking sexy as hell.

She smiled and opened her eyes. Her body automatically started moving to the music again. I stood up and buttoned her jacket, making her laugh.

"What? You look sexy as hell but that doesn't mean I want these assholes looking."

We were met with hugs and shot glasses when we finally reached our group.

~~u~~

I smelled the coffee before I fully woke up. Bella and I were up until almost 6 this morning. Luckily, I feel pretty good for only getting a couple hours of sleep. I can't believe I am 'officially' married, and Bella can finally take my last name.

I thought back to the night before.

_Her jacket was gone as soon as the elevator closed. Her pants unzipped, one of my hands cupped her ass, as my fingers slipped inside wet folds. Her head rested lightly against the mirrored wall as she softly moaned…_

_She was frantic by the time we got into the apartment. I pulled her pants down and dropped to my knees, sucking on her through the lace. _

I smiled and jumped out of bed.

~~u~~

We have a flight out of O'Hare tonight. We originally planned to take three weeks for our honeymoon and go to Europe; Paris, Zurich, ending in Italy. But with the purchase of the house, and everyone wanting to share Matteo's first Christmas, we decided to spend a week on the beach.

Bella was unwilling to spend a week without Matteo, or Matt, as she likes to call him. So we are taking him with us. And while I'd love to have Bella to myself for an entire week, I am equally excited about our first family vacation.

I looked at the time, surprised that it was already two o'clock.

~~u~~

We were sitting in the outdoor sun suite, enjoying the nighttime breeze. Bella was lying in between my legs, sipping a strawberry drink. My hand was resting on her stomach; her free hand was tangled into my hair.

Matteo was asleep inside the master suite, just on the other side of the French doors.

It felt so good to just…be. No appointments, no meetings, no guys, and no family barging into our space.

Bella sat her drink on the floor next to the huge sofa sleeper we were laying on.

She adjusted herself so she was lying on her side between the back of the couch and my body. Her fingers were moving along my heated skin in a rhythmic pattern, and I closed my eyes, humming. Her lips followed the trail her fingers played. I could feel my body tightening in anticipation.

Her fingers and mouth moved slowly, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. I leaned my head back further into the pillow and closed my eyes. I love her like this. Slow caresses, wet kisses, and love. Everything she did showed me love.

Her hand slipped into my pants, and I lifted up so she could push them down. Her lips moved from my neck, to my chest, to my stomach. She bit my hipbone and kept going, skipping the part I wanted her to kiss the most. I groaned, as her fingers trailed down my legs and her mouth nipped at my skin.

My eyes were still closed and I was surprised when I felt her mouth on me. Her lips slid over me and her tongue swirled and when I felt the back of her throat, I couldn't stop my hand from tangling in her hair.

She was moving so slowly, lingering before sliding further up or down. Her tongue would play with the tip; sucking and swirling like a fucking lollipop. Jesus…

"Baby…" I couldn't say anything else, so I pulled her up and flipped her onto her back. My hands moved slowly from calf to thigh, before pushing her legs apart and slowly slipping into her. I leaned in and kissed her slowly, slipping my tongue in and out of her mouth, barely moving my hips. When she moaned against my mouth, one hand gripped her wrists, holding her hands above her head and the other hand held her hip as I moved against her, harder with each thrust. Her eyes closed and she bit her bottom lip, trying to keep quiet. I was already so worked up that I could barely hold on.

I swiveled my hips, rubbing against all of the right spots and her legs trembled.

"Please, baby, please…" I groaned. I sat up a little straighter letting my hand trail down her arm, my thumb roughly rubbed across her nipple and I moved my hand along her stomach to her sweet spot.

I sped up my movements as I rubbed her, gathering wetness from where we were joined on each pass. Finally, she gasped and her back lifted off of the sofa and her walls tightened around me. I kept rubbing her as I watched her skin flush a beautiful pink. And when she finally came back to me, I sped up my movements until I fell apart above her. I could feel her tightening her walls around me, and it felt so fucking good.

I fell onto my elbows, resting my forehead on Bella's chest as I caught my breath.

"Do you think it will always be like this between us?" she asked quietly, almost whispering.

I placed a slow, wet kiss between her breasts before looking up at her with a smile. "I think it's going to get better."

~~bella~~

I rolled my neck, and pulled the rubber band out of my hair, scrubbing my fingers along my scalp.

I was directing traffic; furniture deliveries, movers, appliance installations. Edward scheduled everything to happen on the same day. He wanted to be able to live here when we moved, not jump from one place to the next for a week before we would be 'home'.

I know I would appreciate tomorrow, but today, I felt exhausted and cranky. It hasn't been too bad, but I am just worn out. I want to take a long, hot bath and sleep for a couple of days.

Deciding to take a break, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before walking out onto the patio.

We really did pick a lovely house for our family. Honestly, we didn't have a lot of unpacking to do; clothes, books, artwork and photographs, my camera equipment and Matt's bedroom furniture. The rest of it was staying in the apartments. Edward decided to keep the apartments for either family or as rental property.

Paul and Emmett were here with me today. Edward mentioned that his father was making some changes within the family and Paul wouldn't be around as much anymore. I was able to figure out what was going on, but I didn't say anything.

I felt a little bad for Emmett. All of the crap with Rosalie had really set him back with the family. Carlisle and Jasper weren't sure about his judgment. Although, they never questioned his loyalty, and that was probably the only thing keeping him where he was now.

Emmett looked over at me, probably sensing my eyes on him, and I smiled, giving him a little wave. He flashed his dimples at me and went back to his conversation.

I walked back into the house, the chill in the air a little to cold for my liking. I started pulling items out of the refrigerator to make dinner. Edward, Jasper, and Tanya would be here soon.

I opened up a bottle of red wine and got to work.

~u~

I felt him before I heard him speak. I was setting the table when his hands wrapped around my waist, settling on my stomach.

"Hi baby," he said, kissing my cheek.

I stood up and turned in his arms. I stood on my toes to kiss him, "hi."

"You're short again," he chuckled, and picked me up. "I'm so used to you in your sexy shoes that I forget that you aren't that tall."

"Shut up," I smiled, and leaned in to kiss him again.

"Hey, enough of that. We're hungry," Jasper called out as he walked into the kitchen. "Hello, sister in law."

"Hello my favorite brother in law," I answered, still hanging in Edward's arms.

Jasper smiled, and kissed my cheek before taking me from Edward and pulling a chair out for me. "I'm your only brother in law. You sit, we'll bring out the food."

~~u~~

Hmmm…

Warm hands.

Kisses.

Fingers caressing me.

I felt damp, and needy.

I tried to turn over but his hand on my lower back held me in place. I felt the heat of his body, and his breath on my neck.

"I want you like this, baby," he whispered. One of his hands adjusted me and then he was inside. Oh my God, that is amazing every time.

~~u~~

I couldn't keep the smile off of my face as I looked at myself in the mirror. I have a pooch. Just a little one, but it's there.

No one would be able to see it yet, but Edward would be able to feel it when he touched me.

I slipped into my dress and took Matt out of his crib.

"Hello, my beautiful boy," I said, kissing his little face.

He kicked his legs and cooed at me.

"Are you excited? It's Christmas Eve. You get lots of love and presents from everyone today."

He smiled at me, "God, you are so cute." I tickled his naked belly.

Matt suddenly got really excited and was kicking and flailing his arms. And then I felt him behind me.

His warm lips kissed the back of my neck and he whispered, "Hi," in my ear.

My whole body tingled.

I turned toward my right, and he caught my lips in a kiss. "Hi."

His smile, I will never be fully prepared for it.

"Hey Little Man! I missed you today. Are you being good for mommy? Huh?" Edward picked him up and nuzzled his little neck before kissing his belly.

Edward placed him back on the bed and pulled me into a hug, one hand wrapped around me and the other hand on my stomach.

I smiled, and his eyes went wide. "Holy shit, baby," he said, pulling away and moving both hands to my belly. "This wasn't there yesterday. Wow…" he trailed off, his eyes bright with happiness. "I love you."

I bit my lip, but gave him a bright smile and whispered I love you against his lips.

"I'm so glad we are telling everyone tonight. I'm not going to be able to stop touching you."

~~u~~

Christmas Eve dinner was at our house this year. A housewarming slash holiday celebration, and the whole family was invited.

We decided to give an early gift to Edward's parents and grandparents, before heading to midnight mass.

"So," Edward said loudly, causing everyone to stop and look at him. Matt was asleep in my arms, and I tried to keep a straight face. "Isabella and I would like to give one of our gifts a little early, if you don't mind."

He walked over to the tree and pulled two packages wrapped in shiny red paper with gold bows.

He handed one to each couple and then sat next to me, wrapping his arm around me.

I squeezed his thigh, and he smiled.

Esme looked a little confused, but Nonna Cesca was excited as she opened the package.

When she looked up at me, she had tears in her eyes. She leaned over to show Santo who laughed and let out a loud whoop.

Esme was staring at the open box , but she hadn't moved or spoken. I deflated a little, and it was hard not to let my mind wander back to the angry woman from just last month.

But when she looked up, there were tears running down her face. She laughed but it came out with a little sob as she tried to get her emotions under control. She took the silver frame out of the box and handed it to Carlisle before standing up. When she approached us, Edward stood and pulled her into a hug.

It was so emotional, it brought tears to my eyes.

All of a sudden, everyone was surrounding us giving us hugs and congratulations. Esme pulled me into her arms, being careful of Matt who was still sleeping.

"Congratulations, Isa. Thank you - for sharing this with me," her eyes were watery, but her smile was strong.

I gave her another squeeze, my cheek touching hers. I still didn't quite know how to talk to her, but this was a start.

~~u~~

New Year's Eve was spent at Jasper's club, not the strip club, but a club that he has partial ownership in. Apparently, there are a lot of things about my family I don't know yet.

He reserved a big VIP room for us, and there was food and drinks.

There were a lot of people around, people I'd never seen before. I stayed by Edward's side for the most part. But Tanya and Monika, Ty's girl, pulled me out to the dance floor.

I made my way to the bathroom after a little while, not able to hold it anymore. I slipped into one of the stalls and breathed a sigh of relief.

I walked over to the sink and washed my hands. My face was flushed and my hair was a little limp.

I ran my fingers through my hair and fixed the eyeliner that had smudged on my eyelid.

Two women walked into the bathroom giggling. I straightened my dress, and turned to walk out.

"My God, he's gorgeous. Do you think I can get him to go home with me?"

I rolled my eyes, and shook my head. I am glad I was never that easy.

When I opened the door, I saw just what those girls were talking about.

A tall, gorgeous man in a charcoal grey suit that was cut to fit his body perfectly, was leaning on the wall just opposite the door.

I took my time admiring him, before my brown eyes locked on his green ones.

He smirked, and his eyes moved along my body before he moved away from the wall.

My head tilted up, and my eyes followed him as he moved around me, his hand leaving a trail of heat along my arm, my collarbone, my neck.

When he was in front of me again, his hand wrapped lightly around my neck, tilting my face toward his.

"I've been looking for you," his voice was rough, and my stomach tightened in anticipation.

"Have you?" I asked, my voice almost a whisper.

"Hmmm…" was all he said. He leaned into me, his eyes on something behind me.

I wanted to look over my shoulder, but his nose was running along my cheek and his fingers were in my hair.

I opened my eyes to look at him and he flashed me a wicked smile before his lips were on mine. I felt my feet moving backward and suddenly I was against the wall. His free hand was cupping my face and I felt like I was going to pass out.

He pulled away and my head fell back against the wall. He ran his lips back and forth against my cheek. "Dance with me."

I smiled at him, and bit his chin. "Cheeky."

He laughed and stepped away, taking my hand and leading me back onto the dance floor.

The two girls I saw in the bathroom were standing there with their mouths open. I smiled, and gave them a little wave as we walked away.

Edward's laugh was glorious.

At midnight, we were all back in the VIP lounge. Our small group huddled together holding glasses of champagne.

"To love," I called out, raising my glass.

"To sexy ass wives," Edward yelled, the guys whistling and raising their glasses.

"To family," Emmett said.

"To new beginnings," Seth said quietly. I squeezed his hand.

"To friendship," Tanya smiled.

"To happy in-betweens," Rachel said, kissing Paul's cheek.

Jasper looked around at all of us, and smiled, simply raising his glass.

When everyone yelled, "Happy New Year!" Edward was kissing me, and I couldn't help but think, _this is going to be the best year ever._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: Hi Everyone! Let me start by saying…I'm so very sorry for the delay. I have excuses, but none of them are valid – so I won't waste your time. Eliza, thanks for the email calling me out. I couldn't respond to your PM but it worked. ;)

I hope you enjoyed this. One more to go…

Please let me know what you think and if there is anything you want or feel should be clarified.

Take care! Talk to you soon…


	43. Chapter 41

_Disclaimer: I don't own them..._

_Many thanks and much love to Sunflowerfran3759 for her amazing beta skills. She's been nominated for a Beta award! Please go to http / / the fandom choice awards. blogspot p / vampire-nominations. html - and vote for her. _

~~bella~~

I stand at the window, a baby in my arms and a one year old napping on the bed next to me. It's amazing how much has happened over the last year. I can hardly put it all into words.

I am still amazed at how far we've come considering how our story started; we hardly spoke a word to one another. We didn't know each other, much less love one another. But here we are, madly in love and married with two children.

The past year has been difficult, to say the least. Death and sorrow seemed to follow us everywhere we went.

I look over at the little boy lying on the bed. His life began with the death of his parents and Edward and I will be completely responsible for how he handles that knowledge in the future. Will he be angry? Will he want revenge? Will he let the anger take over? Or will he accept the love Edward and I offer? Will that love be enough?

I ask myself these questions over and over. I have pictures of his parents in his room, I have no intention of keeping them from him. But I worry. How can I not?

His birthday is tomorrow, and we are all trying to get our bearings. I want it to be a happy day for him, his first birthday. I planned his party for next weekend. I wanted to give everyone the time they need to grieve for Demetri and Gianna. And I don't want anyone coming into my home with negative emotions. My baby deserves to be celebrated. He survived under the worst circumstances, and I never want him to feel anything other than happiness and love.

I also asked Edward to speak to Esme. We are...okay, I guess. We still don't speak freely or openly like we did before. She was the mother figure that I had always wanted, until she wasn't; and I'm not sure my heart will ever allow her back in. But for the sake of Edward and the boys, I try. However, I will not hesitate to put her in her place if she makes any comments or acts out in any way next weekend. Hopefully, it won't be an issue.

I turn and look back outside. Fall has set in, the leaves have changed color, the air is chillier. But the sun is shining; I take it as a good sign. Things will get better.

I still have nightmares. They have been especially bad lately. I see Alice's face a lot these days. That night...that night I was so angry with her. My rage that someone had killed Gianna and Demetri right in front of us, in our safe place, overrode any logic. And then there was her baby...

I clutch Luca to my chest. I hope she is okay, I hope someone loves her, I hope someone is caring for her. Alice was not innocent; none of us are, but our collective shock and anger ended her life.

Edward has had it the hardest, I think. Most days he is able to push it aside. His father gave him an order and he filled it. Simple.

But it isn't.

While I had anger driving my actions, Edward was in shock. He couldn't even stand while the baby was delivered and then to think that he had to...

I don't know.

He's good at hiding his emotions. But when it's just him and me, he'll let go. He's gone through the anger; at Carlisle, at the Aro family, at Alice, Rosalie...he goes through bouts of depression.

It was particularly bad after Luca was born. He would hold our son and cry. And my heart ached for him. It isn't a hurt I can take away, or fix. So I let him do what he needs to do to feel that he is protecting us. I love him. And if the alarm systems, bodyguards, and cameras make him feel better, then who am I to complain.

I hear the alarm beep and turn off, signaling that Edward is home. I reach up to wipe the tears from my face. The next few days will be rough on everyone, but I can only worry about my husband and children. I will do what I can to keep us together and strong. All we have is each other.

I can hear Edward's footsteps on the stairs, and I can't help but smile when I see him, smell him. He walks straight to me, taking my face in his hands and kissing me sweetly. He wipes the remaining tears from my face and kisses me again. He knows; he always knows.

He lifts the blanket, and cradles Luca's head before kissing him softly. I rest my forehead against his chest. I'm always overcome with the love he shows for us.

"Dadad," a little voice calls out.

"Matteo!" Edward whisper yells, looking over at the sleepy little boy sitting in the middle of the bed. He walks over and picks him, throwing him in the air; making him scream and then laugh. And then they hug, and my heart swells. They hug like they haven't seen each other in days.

Edward walks toward me and kisses my cheek, then leans Matt toward me, and the baby plants a sloppy open mouth kiss on my cheek.

I laugh, "Hi, baby boy."

"Mama!"

"I'll go change him. Want me to order food?"

"No, there's chicken in the oven."

And we're back on track.

~~u~~

"Hello?" I answer my cell phone. I'm sitting in my office at the gallery and there are so many pieces of paper on my desk, I don't know where to start.

"Isabella Cullen," the voice asks.

"Yes, may I help you?" I'm still shuffling paper on my desk trying to get things in some kind of order.

"This is Special Agent Dwyer, of the FBI. How are you today, ma'am?"

My hands stop moving and my breathing stops.

"I am fine, Special Agent. And yourself?" What does he want? Has something happened? Is someone hurt? I walk over to my closet, pulling the door open roughly and grab my purse. I pull my cell phone out of the front pocket and unlock the screen.

No messages, no missed calls.

"Mrs. Cullen, we'd like to speak with you for a few minutes regarding an ongoing investigation."

"An investigation? Regarding?"

"I'd be more than happy to explain everything to you when you come in, ma'am."

"I'd prefer to know what this is about before I agree to anything," I answer, and stay on the line, waiting for him to speak.

"It is very important that I speak with you, Mrs. Cullen," he says quietly.

"I'm sorry, but unless you can tell me what this is about, I can't help you," I answer and disconnect.

I pick up my cell phone and walk out of the office. Oddly, Seth is with me today, he is normally with Carlisle or Jasper.

Seth sees me and stands up, leaving the office he has been occupying today.

I make my way to the front of the gallery and stop at the reception desk, "Charity, I'm going to run out for coffee, I need a little break. Do you want something?"

"Oh yes, please!" She says dramatically. "A dirty chai, the biggest size."

I laugh, "Okay, I'll be back in a few."

Seth holds the door open for me and I walk out, slipping my hand into the crook of his elbow.

We've become pretty good friends over the past few months. Leah spends a lot of time with me when he is working. She's the most beautiful little girl, and Matteo loves her.

"I just got a call from the FBI. They want me to come in."

He doesn't stop walking but his head tilts toward me. I can tell his eyes are scanning the area.

He wraps an arm around me when a strong gust of wind hits us. "I'll find out what's going on. Start screening your calls."

I nod, and we enter the coffee shop, effectively ending the conversation.

~~u~~

Two days later, Edward walks into the house close to midnight. Matt has a slight fever, so the three of us are in the living room since it's a little cooler down here with all of the wood floors and windows. And it's also closer to the kitchen in case I need something for him.

Edward sits next to me and feels Matt's forehead, "How is he?"

"He's okay. I just gave him more medicine. Rob brought over some antibiotics for him earlier."

He nods and then leans in to kiss me. "I'm going to take a quick shower. Did you make dinner?"

"There's a plate in the microwave for you."

When he makes it back downstairs, I am in the kitchen heating up his food. The kitchen smells spicy.

"Hmmm, smells good. What'd you make?"

"Green chile pork with rice and beans. Do you want it on a plate or a burrito?"

"On a plate, please."

I nod. The grill on the stove was already warming so I took the tortillas out of the refrigerator and threw them on there to heat up. Placing a towel on a plate, I wrapped up the warmed tortillas to keep them hot and placed both plates in front of Edward. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and water for myself and joined him at the table.

He hummed, "Baby, this is so good."

I smile at him, "How was it today?"

He shrugs and take a drink of his beer. "All right, you know how it is. I talked to Seth today."

I tilt my head watching him as he takes another bite. "Rosalie is working with the Feds. Apparently, Alec's wife found out about the baby, and took her from Rosalie. I don't know what happened after that. But apparently some threats were made, and Rosalie took the Fed route. Seth thinks that's why that agent called you."

My head is reeling from this information. Rosalie. Why would she do that? Oh my God, what will this do to the family?

"So what does that mean? What's going to happen now?"

"Kate is working on it. Rosalie only started poking her nose around when Alice pushed her for information. Emmett swears that she was not privy to private conversations and she never saw anything 'important'," he used his fingers to air quote the word. "Whatever that means. I'm hoping that Rosalie just threw your name in there as bait so they will keep protecting her. The only thing I am worried about is her story about Alice and the baby."

I could feel the panic swelling inside of me. What if they find something? Or try to press charges against me or Edward? What has she told them? What about my babies?

I feel hot hands on my face and soothing words in my ear, "it's okay, baby. Nothing is going to happen to us. We'll leave the country if we have to. If they had anything, they would have taken us in already. Okay? It's going to be okay."

I listened to his soft words and calmed my breathing. I have to trust him to keep us safe.

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"I want you to stay home from the gallery for the next few days, just in case. Some of the guys will be here, and Seth is going to come through tomorrow to sweep the house. If anyone shows up, call Kate. Ask for the search warrant, don't speak, and stay with the boys."

I take another shaky breath and nod.

"You okay?"

I nod again.

He pulls his plate over and starts eating again. I rest my head on his shoulder and try not to let my mind run wild with what ifs.

~~u~~

The next day, Seth came to the house and was gone an hour later with a large duffel bag on his shoulder. Emmett and Enzo hung out with us and we took Matteo to the park.

When we got back to the house, there were black sedans out front. My steps faltered, Emmett pulled out his phone, and Enzo placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me toward the front door.

"Mrs. Cullen, we have a warrant to search the premises," Agent Dwyer said quietly. His eyes were sympathetic as he looked at the boys in the stroller.

I held my hand out to him accepting the search warrant and gave Enzo my keys. Once the doors were open, men filed into the house quickly.

"Can we go inside? I don't want my children getting sick," my voice was firm. I wouldn't allow the fear to seep in, not yet. I slipped on the mask that was so familiar to me a year ago.

Agent Dwyer held a hand out, gesturing toward the door. Enzo lifted the front of the stroller so we could go up the steps.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, unlocking it and dialed Kate's office.

"Garrett and Associates, how may I help you?"

"Hello, may I speak with Kate Garrett, please? This is Isabella Cullen."

~~u~~

A few hours later, the agents were walking out of the house, empty handed. They left a mess; actually they left a disaster. When I look around there are books were thrown off of shelves, some lying open on the floor along with the contents of all of the drawers. In the bedroom, clothes were covering the floors and beds, my underwear and lingerie were dumped into the closet, and stepped on. Hangers are tossed carelessly all over the place, even the boy's nurseries were destroyed. Diapers, clothes, blankets, toys; it is just a mess. I feel like I've been robbed, and my privacy has been stripped away.

Luca is in my arms and Matt is holding my hand as we walk around the house, assessing the damage. I have my phone, and I have taken pictures of every room. I want to cry, but I don't want to scare Matt.

I settle in Luca's room, placing him in his crib. Matt finds some toys that distract him, and I start picking up the clothes tossing them in the hamper so I can wash them.

"Mama, bean bean?" Matt asks, and points at the TV.

"You want to watch bean bean?" He claps and I turn on the TV, finding his recording of the Wonder Pets. That stupid song will be stuck in my head all night now. But Matt loves it.

"There you go, baby." I grab the bean bag from the corner so he can sit down. I'm surprised they didn't tear it apart and leave the little Styrofoam pieces all over the place.

I continue picking up the room and after a little while I find Matt sound asleep on the bean bag. I cover him with a blanket and put up the child gate so I can clean up the other room.

Anger is still rolling through me, making me antsy. But I signed up for this life, right? I chose this. I have no one to blame, I have to suck it up and deal with it, and that is really pissing me off right now.

Emmett and Enzo are downstairs picking up the mess the Feds left down there. I came up here to hide. But there are more people here now, and I can hear them shouting downstairs.

I close my eyes. Resting my head against the wall I am standing near. I just want it to stop, for five minutes. I want everything to stop and be quiet.

I stand up straight and roll my neck before walking back into the nursery to check on the boys.

They are both asleep. I turn on the baby monitor and grab one, taking it downstairs with me.

My living room is full of people, and Enzo is quietly putting books back on the bookshelf. It doesn't look like a complete disaster anymore, but it looks like a cleaning crew is here now.

I walk over and place a hand on Enzo's arm, "Grazie per il vostro aiuto oggi, Enzo." (Thank you for your help today, Enzo)

He smiled and nodded, and went back to his task. I sighed and grabbed a stack of books and started putting them in order on the shelf. What a mess.

I could hear people talking, and I was wondering where Edward was when I caught someone saying that the Feds had also been at Jasper's club today.

Oh, no.

"Emmett, what happened?" I said loud enough that everyone stopped and looked over at me.

"I don't know, Isa. We haven't heard anything yet. Edward wasn't there when they showed up, but he is now, trying to get things under control. Kate went there when she left here earlier. It doesn't sound good though."

Oh, no.

The boys woke up half an hour later. Once they were changed, we went downstairs so I could feed them.

I heated up a bottle for Luca and heated up leftover chicken risotto for Matt. I sat at the table feeding Luca and encouraging Matt to eat his dinner. I also gave him some small pieces of french bread to munch on. I'm so happy he actually eats his food and doesn't throw it across the room.

I probably have Edward to thank for that. He loves food and has passed this love on to Matt. Edward eats pretty much anything, and it seems like Matt will be the same way. He loves his food and while he's pretty messy, he doesn't waste it.

I take the spoon I have on the table and scoop a little, offering it to him.

"More?" I ask, and he smiles opening his mouth. And then repeats it with his own spoon.

The door opens, triggering the chiming of the alarm, and I hear Edward's voice ring through the living room. Matt also hears him and calls out for him.

Luca's eyes are wide as he looks around. I lift him up to my shoulder so I can burp him and Matt is bouncing around in his chair.

Edward walks into the kitchen and his face is tired and angry.

He smiles when he sees Matt, "Hey, little man," he kisses his fat cheek and then leans in to kiss me, and then Luca.

"Are you okay?" He asks quietly.

I nod, and then shake my head. "Yeah, me too. They took Jasper into custody. Kate is with him, but they are booking him on drug charges. They said they found some coke in his desk, a small vial, but it was enough for them to take him in. The Feds are still at the club trying to find something. Thank God Seth swept the place yesterday. I told Kate it was impossible that the coke was there before they searched, but we don't have proof that they planted it. She thinks they didn't do it here, because I wasn't home, and because the kids were here with you."

Holy shit. "What happens now?"

Edward walked over to the sink with Matt's empty bowl and came back with a wet napkin to clean him up. He wiped off the highchair tray, and then picked Matt up, giving him a big hug.

"They are going to stick him with the stiffest sentence, because they are hoping that he will slip up, or they'll find something. Baby," he said, seriously. "I'm going to have to step in for him, for however long he is sentenced for."

I nod, "I know. We'll figure it out."

"Pack a bag, let's get out of here. We'll go to a hotel or to the apartment. I don't want to be here tonight."

I nod, and stand up. As I walk away, Edward's hand wraps around my waist, pulling me into him.

"I love you, Bella."

I wrap my arm tightly around him, "I love you, too."

~~U~~

Esme and I stand in line, waiting to go through the metal detector. We were driven here, by a hired car with blacked-out windows. Carlisle instructed us to bring our IDs and nothing else. We are both wearing slacks with modest blouses, our wool coats on our arms. I have a wedge heel on, worried that they wouldn't allow me to enter with heels.

So we stand in line, watching people empty their pockets, removing shoes, lifting arms...It's strange, really. I feel out of place, like I don't belong here. But don't I? I have probably done worse things than some of the people in this room. I tilt my head and look over at Esme, she is looking at the floor. I wonder what thoughts are running through her head.

Jasper is allowed four visiting hours per month. Esme is already a mess. I don't think one or two hours will be enough for her. I'm not sure what to expect, and my stomach is rolling with nerves.

"Please present your ID and empty your pockets," the woman motions toward me.

I provide my ID, "I don't have anything else."

She takes my ID and looks at me with narrowed eyes. I meet her eye and refuse to look away. I may be freaking out on the inside, but she will not witness it.

Esme and I get through the security check and are escorted to the 8th floor by an officer. There are several people in the elevator with us. A young woman with a baby, an older woman holding a rosary, a gang banger about my age with a full goatee.

I take a moment to look at him, analyze him. The only difference between us is how we look. His baggy jeans vs my slacks, my wool coat vs his flannel Pendleton. But we're the same; we both have families that we would kill or die for. We both do things that other people think despicable. We're both visiting someone stuck on the inside.

He looks over at me with a hard expression, and his eyes travel from my face to my feet and back. He snuffs, shakes his head, and turns back toward the front.

Esme and I are holding hands. We've been connected to one another since clearing security. She looks as stoic as me, but I can feel the shake of her hand.

We're led into a room filled with tables. The room is half full, but people seem to be streaming in. Esme and I look around, and choose a table in the middle of the room.

Inmates are being checked in on the other side of the room and I see a head of blond hair enter.

"Esme," I whisper.

She sobs, and Jasper turns and looks right at us. He strolls through the room, his head facing us but his eyes are taking in his surroundings. The big guy from the elevator looks over at us as we stand; His eyebrows raise when Jasper reaches us. Esme pulls him into her arms, crying. I don't break eye contact with the goatee guy until Jasper pulls me into his arms.

I squeeze him, and kiss his cheek whispering the numbers _fourteen, thirty-two, eight, nine,_ before pulling away.

His hands grab my face and I look into his eyes. _Fourteen, thirty-two, eight, nine,_ I whisper again. He kisses my forehead before looking over at the guards and then pulling our seats out for us.

Jasper sits across from us, his back is straight and he's very alert. There is a large family behind him, but the inmate is on the other side of the table.

"Ma, how's everyone?"

Esme swallows thickly and wipes her face with the back of her hands.

"Okay. Everyone is okay. Kate is keeping us updated on the appeal."

"Isa, how are my nephews? How's Ed? Are you guys okay?"

I nod, "We're good. Busy, really busy."

"Yeah," he says, quietly.

Jasper talks about some of the things he's been doing inside, which isn't a whole lot. But he's been reading up on the law. Looking for a loophole for what's happened to him. He said he goes over everything with Kate when she comes to see him.

Jasper looks over and sees the guy with the goatee staring at us. I glance at him and then back at Jasper. His green eyes are like glass; hard, threatening, unforgiving.

"Isa, watch yourself when you leave." His hands fist, "I fucking hate that I can't even walk you out of here to make sure you get to the car safely."

"The car is picking us up, Jasper. We won't be alone."

He nods, "Yeah, just be careful." He turns toward the big guy again.

"Tell Edward, about that guy. He's visiting Solano."

I nod, "okay."

"You guys should go, come back in a couple weeks."

Esme nods, "Take care of yourself, Jasper. Please, be safe."

He hugs his mother, and kisses her cheek. Then he reaches for me, holding me tightly. He leans in as if to kiss my cheek and whispers, _club two, top shelf_.

"Take care, baby girl, and say hi to my brother for me."

"Be safe, Jas."

We walk out of the room and I am on high alert. I take notice of who is around us as we walk quickly out of the building. The car is pulling up and we climb in quickly.

As soon as the door closes, the car is moving, and Esme is in tears. I hug her tightly and let her cry.

When we get to the house, I am exhausted. There are a lot of people at Carlisle and Esme's. Edward makes his way to us quickly, he hugs his mother but his father is behind him to take her from him.

He looks at me and kisses me, "how was he?"

I nod, "He looked okay. On edge, but his eyes were straight."

Edward was so worried Jasper's habit would get worse inside there. He needed to know that Jasper was okay.

"Did you tell him?"

I nodded. The code they had in place made no sense to me. There were different pieces all over the place and I was only delivering the names. Each number stood for a name. I had no idea what number stood for whom. I didn't want to know what any of it stood for.

"Club two, top shelf," I repeated what Jasper told me.

Edward nodded and then looked across the street. "Let's go inside."

~~edward~~

I rubbed my face. I'm so fucking tired.

It's been two months since Jasper went inside. I think they will try to keep him for the minimum of four months. They keep coming up with delays, not giving him a chance to go to court. Fucking Feds.

But we found Rosalie. Club two, top shelf.

We figured she'd be in Europe somewhere, but Italy? Why would she go there? I mean seriously, fucking Italy? Were the Feds going with the 'place her in plain sight' theory, hoping she wouldn't be found? And they apparently didn't do the background checks on the guys who were supposed to be watching out for her.

Her 'security' was on our payroll. And she was 'hiding out' in our fucking hotel, living on the top floor. Did she think she was safe there? Did she not remember we had family there? Or maybe those details just weren't important to her at the time. She was a friend of the family back then. Things have spun way out of control over the past year. And she doesn't quite know how to play this game. Being someone's girlfriend, and being family are two different things. I guess Emmett was being truthful when he said she didn't know anything of importance.

And the Feds are scrambling. Trying to keep up appearances and find a way to use what Rosalie gave them to make a case. They have been following us more than usual, coming out of the woodwork. They follow Bella and my mother to visit Jasper every week.

Kate says he found a loophole that should help get him out. Newspaper articles and magazine printouts, showing celebrities getting no prison time for having more coke on them than what was planted in his desk. He's also been getting drug tested weekly, with Kate overseeing the actual testing, to prevent anyone from falsifying the test results.

She thinks with the documentation Jasper printed, the weekly drug tests, and the proof that he has not been jonesing for a fix will force the judge to make a decision. FBI be damned, a judge can lose their seat playing games like that.

I rub my face again. Jasper's desk is a fucking nightmare. I hate this shit, that's why I don't own clubs like this.

I yawn, and look at the clock; 2am, time to go. I close the laptop and throw it in my bag, walking out of the office. Paul and some of his guys are standing in the hallway.

"Hey Ed, how you doing?"

I shake Paul's hand. "Hey, what's up? You hanging out?"

"Nah, I got that info you wanted. The big guy?"

"Yeah?"

"He's part of Solano's crew, middle man, working his way up."

I nod. "Have him come here. Let me know."

Paul nodded and I turned and walked out.

~~u~~

I walked into the house at almost three a.m. and noticed right away all of the lights were on. I didn't notice the lights when I pulled into the garage, and the alarm system isn't armed. I quicken my step, and place my hand on the gun at my waist.

I look into each room quickly before walking to the front of the house.

My parents, grandparents, Bella and the kids are all in the living room.

They all look up when they hear my footsteps, and Bella jumps off of the couch.

"What's going on?"

"Edward, is your phone off? We've been trying to contact you."

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the screen, holding Bella with my left arm. "It died. What's going on?"

"There's a riot at the prison. We don't know anything, we can't get any information."

"Shit..." I trailed off. Shit. "We'll call Kate in the morning."

Everyone nodded. But we didn't move.

"Let's go grab some blankets," I said to Bella. "Dad, can you get the fireplace going. Mom, Nonna, are you guys hungry? Do you want coffee?"

"Edward and I will make something when we come back downstairs," Bella spoke up. She has a hard time sitting still when there are things going on. Cooking will keep her mind busy. And being with her will keep my mind calm.

The TV was on low when we got back downstairs. We placed a big stack of blankets on an ottoman and then a newsflash popped up on the TV screen. My father turned it up, and we all held our breath.

"_A manhunt is being led by the FBI and Federal Marshall's for two prisoner's from the Metropolitan jail. The two suspects escaped through a small window. There is a rope hanging outside of the window fifteen stories up. Somehow the prisoners were able to tie a rope together using linens and clothes. _

_The escape set off a series of events inside the prison causing the warden to put the prison on lock-down. We do not know what is going on inside of the prison at this time."_

The reporter kept talking but I tuned him out. The only person I cared about was still inside the prison. There were photos of two men on the screen and a warning to contact police immediately if anyone noticed any strange activity in the area.

I pulled Bella to her feet and we walked into the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and took out eggs, milk and butter. And she opened the pantry door and pulled out flour and sugar.

"What are we making, baby?"

I walked over to her and pulled her into my arms. She hugged me tightly. I could feel her shaking, but somehow she was keeping her emotions under control.

My hands moved up and down her back, soothing her as much as I could. "Come on, baby. Let's make some pancakes for everyone. It's Matteo's favorite."

She nodded against my chest, and then took a shaky breath. I wiped away the tears under her eyes and kissed her.

Her lips are soft, and they mold to mine perfectly.

My hands slip into her hair and I rest my forehead against hers. "I love you, so much, Bella. So, so much. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you or if I couldn't protect you."

"I'm here, Edward. But don't let anything happen to you. I wouldn't survive if you weren't here with me, with us."

"I know, baby. I know. I promise to be careful."

She nods and places a kiss over my heart.

We moved over to the island and pulled out the mixing bowls, turned on the griddle and started cooking. It was almost four in the morning now. No sense in going to bed, everyone will be here soon enough.

~~u~~

I was staring at Tanya like she was insane. I thought she was cool, I thought she would be good for Jasper, maybe. But that's obviously not the case.

She is sitting there with my wife, crying and carrying on about how she wasn't built for this life. The late hours, the long business trips, the drugs, jail...

Bella looked as surprised as me, but she also looked a little pissed off. As much as I'm her husband, Jasper is her brother, and she is very protective of him.

I'm in the hallway watching this play out. I don't plan on interrupting, but I'm curious to know how Bella will handle this.

"Are you kidding me Tanya? You're worried about how this affects you? He's in jail for something he didn't do, and instead of trying to help him, you're complaining that he isn't around enough?"

"Bella," she started, but Bella raised a hand to her friend.

"No, no. Please, just..." Bella stopped. "I thought you were different. You've been together more than a year. You know what this life entails."

"How would I know that?" Tanya yelled. "He tells me nothing. I don't know where the hell he is when he isn't home. I don't know what the hell is going on unless I overhear someone talking. And even then I don't understand what the hell they are talking about. Jasper has not said anything about the future, about where we're going."

Bella shakes her head and laughs darkly. "Well, I guess it's a good thing he's so secretive. I mean, the first sign of hard times and you're ready to leave. And don't give me this shit about you not knowing. You've been around enough, Tanya. You see me and Edward, _you_ _know_. You are using this as an excuse. If you are tired of it or you don't want it, own it. Don't hide behind excuses. And he deserves to know. He deserves better than you disappearing while he's locked away."

Tanya didn't say anything, but she used a tissue to wipe away her tears. "I just can't do it, Bella. I'm sorry. I know he's like your brother. I just wanted..." she trailed off.

Bella didn't say anything.

"I don't know what I wanted. I'm sorry. Please, tell him I'm sorry." Tanya grabbed her bag and stood up, walking toward the front door.

I was still leaning against the wall in the hallway. My right arm was against the wall, and my right foot resting across the left. My head tilted as I watched her move toward the door. She looked over at me before twisting the handle. I didn't move, or blink. I met her eyes steady and clear.

Her face crumbled and she whispered, "I'm sorry," once more before walking out.

I walked into the living room and sat next to Bella, and she rested her head against my shoulder.

"Should I have told her that Kate is picking him up tomorrow?"

"Nah, she's already made up her mind. And she hasn't talked to him in a month. It's her own fault she doesn't know."

Bella nodded. "Yeah."

"Anyway, she was right about him not sharing things with her or calling her to tell her where he was. I think he was testing her, wanting to see how much she would take."

"I know, but I hate that she couldn't even break it off face to face."

I shrugged. I would have been pissed if it was me, but I think Jasper expects it.

"I'm not going to the club until eleven. Want to go out to dinner? I'm sure my mom will take the boys."

She tilted her head to look at me and smiled. "Yeah. That sounds nice. Let me go change. Call your mom, please."

She kissed me and then hopped up from the couch. I watched her ass sway from side to side as she walked toward the stairs. Damn, that's a nice view.

She turned around, catching me staring, and winked before making her way up the stairs.

Sexy lady.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket. "Hey, Ma."

~~u~~

I'm sitting in one of the booths in the back corner of the club. It's out of everyone's line of sight, and dark, but I can see what is happening on the floor. The customers, girls, waitresses, bartenders...and for what we can't see, there are cameras in those places. There's a security guy watching those. Making sure the girls aren't harmed in there. I don't know why the fuck Jasper has this place. It's too much damn stress.

I roll my neck and lean back in the seat, my left arm draped over the back and my right hand is twisting a glass of whiskey. Paul and Enzo are sitting on either side of me, Emmett is standing just off to the side, but within range.

A large group walks in the door, just on time. A big guy wearing jeans that are hanging off his ass, a flannel pendelton, and locs. It's eleven fucking thirty at night, and he's wearing fucking sunglasses.

He has three guys with him, two flanking him and one walking behind them. As soon as they walked in, my guys were on it, pulling them off to the side, patting them down.

They finally made their way to my table and I looked up at the guy. He hadn't removed his shades, and I hadn't taken my eyes off of him. My stance hadn't changed either, I was chill; my boys wouldn't let anything happen here.

I could tell he was taking in his surroundings. James pulled out two chairs at a table five feet away from us. He gave his guys a head nod, and they sat. Then he turned back to me.

"Sit."

We were taking each other in, looking for weak spots. He slid into the booth after a minute. My right hand was still twirling the tumbler in my hand.

Victor finally took off his sunglasses and looked at Paul, Enzo and then me.

Other than the glass in my hand, I hadn't shifted my position once.

"So," he said, lifting his hands. "Why am I here?"

I smiled. "You caught my brother's attention."

"Oh yeah? How the fuck did I do that?"

A waitress came over and placed beers in front of everyone before walking away quickly. Victor's eyes followed her, and then he whistled through his teeth.

"Victor Solano. Next in line to Jorge Solano. In jail for armed robbery and drug possession. No wife, two kids."

Victor looked surprised, but his head straightened out. He smirked and leaned back in the seat. "Yeah, I saw your boy a couple weeks ago with his girl and his Moms."

My eyes narrowed at the reference of Bella being _Jasper's_ girl. He noticed and smiled, sensing this was a soft spot.

"She's fucking hot, man. I could stare at that bitch _all day long_."

I smiled and shifted in my seat, reaching inside my jacket to pull out my cigarettes. I placed one in my mouth and reached into another pocket and pulled out my gun, cocking it and aiming it at his head.

He sat back quickly and put his hands up.

"If you ever speak of my wife or my mother again, this gun will be the last thing you see."

He nodded, but looked a little more cautious now. I put the safety back on and placed the gun on the table in front of me. I took the cigarette out of my mouth and tapped it on the table. Paul handed me a pack of matches, and I lit up, inhaling deeply.

I took a quick look at Paul, who was watching Victor. Then Enzo, who was watching the guys at James' table. And I turned back to Victor.

"I think we can help each other. I need guys on the street; we supply the goods and you take a fifteen percent cut. No one knows about this except you. If things work out, you'll get a bonus when you make the drop."

"Fifteen?"

I nod.

"Why can't I tell anyone?"

"Your people are loyal to you, not me. They'll protect you if shit goes down or someone gets pinched."

"And what if I get busted? What makes you think I won't sing like a bird?"

I took a long drag on my cigarette and then tapped it in the ashtray. "I have no guarantee of that. But the money will be too good to give up. And if you talk, you're dead."

Victor stayed quiet, but his face was hard as he watched me. I took another drag on my cigarette. Blowing the smoke out slowly, waiting for a reaction. He was cool, knew how to keep his emotions under control, and quiet; taking the time to think things through.

It's a win situation for me. I have the same deal with Ty on the other side of town. It took years for Ty and me to become...friends? Yeah, I could say he's my friend. I don't know about this asshole here. I have a feeling he will be all business. I'll have to keep eyes on him.

"One time deal. You say no – you walk away, no questions. You say yes, you tell you're guys you told me to fuck off, and I'll contact you with a time and place to talk details."

He was quiet, but his left hand came up and rubbed across his face. And then placed both hands on the table in front of him, and leaned forward slightly.

I tapped my cigarette out in the ashtray, and raised an eyebrow. _Do we have a deal?_

He gave me a quick nod. His eyes shifted toward his guys at the table and then he looked at me for a long moment before laughing.

"Dude, get the fuck outta here. I don't need this shit."

I smirked and looked over at James, nodding. _He's in. _

Victor stands up and moves away from the table talking as he walks away.

"Ese wey piensa que me conoce? Desperdiciando mi tiempo. Cabron," he said quietly, almost under his breath, but loud enough for his guys to hear. "Let's get the fuck out of here." (This guy thinks he knows me? Wasting my time. Asshole.)

His guys looked nervous as he moved closer, but they stood up and waited for him to join them.

And then James and a few more guys followed them out.

"Well, this should be interesting. Better brush up on our Spanish," Paul snorted, then laughed. Making Enzo shake his head and chuckle.

"Dude, he called you an asshole," Enzo said.

"Nothing I don't already know. Paul you got this?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Same deal we got with Ty, right?"

"Yeah, keep some guys on him though. I'm not sure I trust him to keep his mouth shut and not skim off the top. It might not work out, but he hasn't dealt with Jasper's crazy ass yet."

I chuckled. "That's gonna be fun," Enzo laughed.

"Alright, let's do this shit. I want to get home."

~~u~~

Life moved along pretty quietly after that. The end of the year came and went. Luca turned a year old in June, and Bella was pregnant again in July.

I was worried about the back to back babies, to be honest. But Bella seemed happy. She tells me over and over again she wants a big family. She wants to be surrounded by love. So who the fuck am I to complain.

And as I sit here in the hospital holding my daughter, I can't fucking remember what I was worried about.

I have a daughter.

Bella is sleeping next to us and I can't stop smiling. She's beautiful, just like her mother.

"Hey," Bella whispered.

I looked up, and leaned over to kiss her. "Hey, baby. Nice nap?"

"Yeah. You're so beautiful with her."

"So what are we naming her?"

"Giuliana?" Bella asked.

"I like that. Giuliana Marie."

Bella scrunched her nose, "Marie? Why Marie?"

"After her beautiful mother."

"It does sound nice together," she said, looking at our daughter softly.

"Giuliana Marie Cullen."

"Perfect."

~~u~~

~~bella~~

"MOMMY!"

Luca is screaming, and his little feet are stomping down the stairs. I can hear JuJu laughing and following her brother. And then heavier footsteps moving slowly behind her.

Matt is such a good, big brother. He loves Giuliana, or JuJu as he calls her, so much. Since the day he met her in the hospital, he's been her protector.

I can hear him whispering to her and she giggles before running over to me.

Luca slides in front of me.

"What's going on?"

"Momma, Luca went into Teo's room."

"He did?" I ask, and tickle her until she falls on the couch next to me.

"Luca why were you in Matt's room?"

"I just wanted to use his blue hat, Mom. I didn't even touch anything," he says with his little hands out in front of him. His lip is trembling, he hates it when anyone is upset with him.

Matt sighs and falls heavily onto the couch, making JuJu and I bounce. She starts giggling again and I look over at Matt. "He went in your room?"

He nods, "he keeps taking my Cubs hat. I don't know why. Dad bought him one, too."

"Luca, where is the hat Daddy bought you?"

"I can't find it! I looked everywhere and I need a hat today, Mom."

I look at his hair and have to pinch my lips together. Poor baby, he got Edward's unruly hair.

"Give Matt his hat back, and I will help you find yours."

He slumps, "okay." He holds the hat out and Matt takes it from him. And then Luca stomps slowly up the stairs.

"You okay, baby?"

Matt looks up at me for a long moment and shrugs. "How come Nana Esme keeps talking about me not having my parents around? You and Dad aren't going anywhere are you?"

I close my eyes and bite the inside of my cheek. That woman... My son is almost seven and he is so smart. I knew one day he would ask questions about Demetri and Gianna. I've been waiting for it, but I hate that he is asking in response to Esme's meddling.

"No, sweetie. Your dad and I aren't going anywhere. Please don't pay attention to your Nana Esme when she talks about those things, okay. She drinks too much wine."

He smiles, "she does like drinking her special juice."

I laugh. "Yes, she does." I sober up and place a hand on his cheek. "There are things your Dad and I will talk to you about when you are a little bit older. About Demetri and Gianna, but not right now. You were a special gift to us and we love you so very much. That is what is important. Nana Esme is always a little emotional around your birthday."

"Because of the accident?"

"Yes, because of the accident. I know that you hear people talking, but your dad and I were there, and we know what happened. We won't hide anything from you okay?"

He nods and looks down at his hands. "But you, Dad, Luca and JuJu are my real family, right? I'm a Cullen."

I pull him into my arms and squeeze him. JuJu climbs onto his lap and leans on his chest. "Yes, you are my son. Your dad named you Matteo. Do you know what your name means?"

He shook his head no, and adjusted himself to wrap an arm around Giuliana.

"A gift from God. And we gave you the middle name Demetri so he would always be with you. We loved you from the moment we met you."

He smiles. "Okay. I love you, Mom."

I kiss his cheek. "Let's go help Luca find his hat."

He groans and tickles JuJu. "Race you."

She screams and takes off running.

~~u~~

We are all dressed up and ready to go. Luca and Matt are with Edward waiting for things to get moving.

My little men are so handsome in their tuxes, and well, I'm a hot mess just picturing Edward in his tux.

Giuliana is the flower girl and she is so happy. Her dress is a miniature of the bride's and she has been twirling in it all morning. She's been very careful not to get dirty and her flower basket is filled to the top with white and pink rose petals.

My camera has not stopped clicking all morning. I've gotten some beautiful pictures of Giselle, her mother and grandmother. And I took some photos of Giselle and Giuliana together, which are so precious. They have become very good friends and Giuliana's Italian has improved so much.

With Edward and I speaking mostly English at home, it's left the kids a little choppy. We're working on it. We've started to speak Italian when we sit down to dinner, it's a start.

There's a knock on the door. We all look over to find Mr. Agostini smiling at his daughter.

"It's time."

JuJu started jumping up and down, smiling hugely. Giselle's mother helped her fluff her dress and adjusted her veil, and I turned to JuJu.

"Baby girl, are you ready?"

"Yes, mommy. I walking in through the big doors and smile big and throw petals on the floor," she sighed softly. "It's going to be so bootiful."

I laughed, "Yes, it will be beautiful. Okay. Let's get out there."

I watched my girl walk down the aisle, smiling and waving at people and tossing flower petals all over the place. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

About midway, she stopped and ran over to hug her Uncle Enzo and tell him he was bootiful, before running back to the aisle to finish her job.

Edward was standing next to the groom, laughing at his daughter's antics. When she reached the front she ran to him. He picked her up and she grabbed his cheeks in her hand, and planted a kiss right on his lips.

"Uncle Jas!" she screamed. And leaned over to hug him. She whispered something in his ear that made him laugh and then he planted a big kiss on her cheek.

He looks so happy.

"I love you! I'm going to sit with Teo now," she was trying to whisper, but her voice echoed throughout the church, making people chuckle.

"Juju, come sit next to me," Matteo called over to her. He stood up to take her hand and led her over to the groom's side of the aisle.

My camera has been clicking this whole time. Our family is so beautiful, and so full of love, that I have to capture it at every moment. You never know when you'll need to be reminded of how precious life is.

While I was watching my daughter work the room, the other bridesmaid's had made their way down the aisle. The music changed and the doors opened once more revealing a beautiful, blushing bride.

I kneeled in the aisle and snapped several photos of Giselle and Mr. Agostino in the doorway. The photos will be lovely in black and white. Maybe a splash of color from the flowers.

I slipped into the aisle and waited until they passed me to snap a photo of her train and veil, and a shot of Giselle and her Father walking toward Jasper. Through the viewfinder, I could see him in the background but he was blurry; all of my focus was on the bride.

I can't wait to develop the film I took of the bridal party this morning. Those were more intimate, and I went with my trusty Nikon. It's going to be so much fun developing the film, and editing the digital photos. I hope to have it all done by the time they get back from the honeymoon, but we'll see.

The ceremony was lovely. I was able to find my way to the front to sit with my family. JuJu watched the ceremony in awe. I snapped pictures of her profile during the ceremony, loving the way she took everything in. The boys were bored out of their minds and kept fidgeting, but at least they stayed quiet and didn't start fighting.

I rubbed my belly. Baby number four – the last one. I told Edward this is the last one, but I've been known to change my mind.

Luca looked at me, "are you okay, Mom?" Everyone is on high alert right now, baby number four is due in a few weeks.

I nodded and kissed his cheek. "Ma," he groaned and wiped his face, making me smile.

A few moments later, the priest raised his hands. "I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Cullen."

Everyone clapped and stood as the happy couple walked passed us, into the sunlight.

~~u~~

"Bella, baby," Edward whispered.

I smiled. "Hi."

Edward leaned in and kissed me.

His body felt so warm against me. My eyes were still closed with sleepiness but his hands were moving along my skin, and his lips were leaving wet kisses on my neck. I hummed with pleasure.

He lifted my nightgown, and his hand cupped my breast; kneading and pulling. I tilted my head back in pleasure.

I reached up and I tangled my fingers into his hair, pushing my chest out. His hand traveled up and wrapped around my neck, tilting my chin toward him. And he kissed me softly, sweetly, lovingly.

I lifted my leg over his and he slipped inside easily. He stayed still for a moment, before rocking into me slowly.

It's overwhelming, being with him this way. His hips pushing slowly, his lips trailing along my skin, his hand covering my stomach - holding me where he wants me, his finger just barely grazing the sweet spot that will send me over the edge.

He pulls out of me, and I lie on my back, opening my legs for him to come into me again. He takes his time. Lips and tongue and teeth, nip and lick and bite along the skin at my hip, my stomach; then he takes my breast into his mouth and he's inside of me again.

I moan loudly. And his mouth covers mine, reminding me that I have to be quiet.

Our love is strong and true, and I don't last long once he is moving inside of me just the way I need him to.

He rocks with me through my orgasm and when I open my eyes and smile, he quickens his pace, and holds my face in one of his hands; his thumb tracing my bottom lip. My tongue is between my teeth and I can taste him each time he moves.

I clench around him, and he groans and moves quickly; losing the fight, he fills me as he presses tightly against me. I'll never tire of this feeling. Of him. Only him.

I love how he feels inside of me.

I love that we fit so perfectly together.

I love that after all of these years, I still get butterflies and goosebumps when he's with me this way.

I love that I still blush when he watches me.

I love that I can feel when he walks into a room.

I love how he loves his children.

I love how he loves me.

I love my life. This crazy, wonderful, unexpected life.

"Happy anniversary, baby," he whispers against my skin.

"I love you," I smile, looking into his green eyes.

"Per sempre."

"Always."

_The End_

_a/n: So, there you go. I feel like crying, but it's been a good ride. So, there was a big delay with this chapter because I re-wrote it, like, 5 times. No joke. _

_I want to say THANK YOU so, so much for all of the great reviews and encouragement you gave me. I am so extremely grateful. I never expected so many people to tune into my story, and it's been fantastic chatting with all of you._

_I am hitting the complete button on this, but in January, I will be posting the outtake I wrote for the Stand Up 4 Katalina project. It was a great experience and I am so happy I was able to contribute, even just a little. _

_On another note, I mentioned above that the lovely Sunflowerfran3759 was nominated for a Beta award. Please head over and vote for her. She is truly fabulous, and there are a lot of great stories mentioned there. _

_Speaking of great stories, Dusty by YellowBella – if you haven't read it, read it. Seriously. I've been following it forever, it seems like, and the characters are still with me. It's one of those stories that just holds on to you. I find myself thinking about it all of the time. _

_Again, thank you and much love. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!_

_Take care, _

_Rock_


	44. SU4K Outtake

**Unexpected-Outtake by RockRaven244  
>Rated: R<br>Warnings: **Strong Language / Drug references**  
>Beta: <strong>Sunflower3579

**Disclaimer: I don't own them...  
><strong>

_***esme**_

Dressed in black, with a veil over my head, I sat in the church waiting for the funeral service to start. Our entire family was here to pay respects to Demetri and Gianna. Francesca was sitting next to me, in similar attire.

Isabella walked into the church, knelt outside of the pew and crossed herself before standing and gesturing to sit next to me.

I didn't want her next to me; I started to panic, _she can't sit here_. I stood quickly and walked out of the row and toward the back of the church. I didn't look back, but I could feel eyes watching me. This is not good; I should not let the family see me act this way. I am the wife of the head of our family, my actions reflect on him. He won't be happy about this. Especially, since I have not been straightforward with him. Well, I hardly know what the hell is wrong with me, how can I explain it to him?

I could hear the whispers, I looked toward the front of the church to see Francesca's arm around Isabella. She's upset, of course. She was a friend to Gianna and Demetri. Isabella had broken through Demetri's tough exterior and he was fond of her. They left their child in her care.

A sharp pain pierced my temple. Damn it. I closed my eyes and stayed hidden in the dark corner at the back of the church. This is not the time for a migraine.

The music started and the doors to the church opened. Everyone stood. The priest walked in with his ball of smoke, his words spoken in Italian.

I watched as he moved up the center aisle, alter boys just behind him, and then the caskets came into view. My husband, sons, nephews and cousins carried Demetri and Gianna to the front of the church. I was completely frozen, I couldn't move.

Why did this happen? Why would God let this happen to them? They were just starting their lives. I could feel the anger building in me; I had to get out of here. But I couldn't move. I felt like pulling my hair and screaming.

How many funerals have we been to lately? It just isn't fair.

I stay hidden in the corner; I see Carlisle glance around the room. He's looking for me. Francesca leans over and speaks quietly to him. Isabella is crying, and Edward takes her into his arms. Jasper and the others fill another pew.

Jasper speaks quietly to Edward, who just shakes his head. Jasper's eyes narrow slightly before he faces forward again.

The priest begins the funeral mass, but I cannot focus on his words. I only see the two caskets at the front of the room.

_***carlisle**_

I cannot fucking believe her. I glance around the church quickly, trying one more time to find Esme, but also noticing that eyes keep flickering in my direction. The women are gossiping, also looking for Esme, and watching Isabella intently. Jasper is sitting stiffly in the pew, Edward is comforting Isabella, but he looks like he could murder someone. I see my father and mother comforting each other, and my wife should be sitting next to me, but she isn't. And I can't help but feel a little pissed off.

Yeah, I should be worried about her wellbeing. I should want to comfort her, but she's been impossible to deal with lately. Honestly, she's been acting so strange and it isn't normal; I know something is wrong with her. But I have all of this shit going on with the Aros, and we haven't had time to talk.

What kind of backlash am I looking at for this? My wife stood up and walked out of the church as soon as Isabella arrived. If this doesn't look like shit, I don't know what does. What could she have been thinking?

What would I think if I saw this happen? If I was an outsider, I would make assumptions. Isabella, who is new to our family, walked into this church, approached this row, and sat down next to Esme, the mother of her fiancé. As soon as she is seated, Esme, the head of the family's wife, stood and walked out. I would assume one of two things. One, the girl is the goomah, or two, the girl is responsible for the deaths of the two innocent people we are here to honor. Neither of those scenarios are true, but that is what they will believe. Again I have to ask myself, what was she thinking to do such a thing? This could be very dangerous for all of us.

We are sitting at the front of the church so it isn't easy for us to look around casually. Jasper's jaw is jumping, his teeth grinding. He is on the same page as me, no doubt; he's definitely his father's son. He and Esme have not been getting along lately, mostly because the topic of contention is Isabella.

I'm not sure what she has to do with this, but Esme has it out for her. It's obvious. Loud noise rolls through the church, everyone lowering the kneelers for prayer. When we kneel, I fold my hands and rest my forehead on my fists. Jasper copies me and speaks quietly.

"Everyone noticed Ma get up and leave when Isa got here. There is already talk about Isa having something to do with Dem and Gia's deaths. The women are saying that Isa is your goomah and Ma found out. The guys are wondering how trustworthy Isa is and if she's turned Ed against us."

We crossed ourselves and sat back on the bench. Fuck. I knew this, but shit. The funeral mass went on and on, but my brain could not shut out what Jasper said. If this is what they are thinking, and I take no action, it will only be a matter of time before someone comes after me. And Jasper is close to Isa, the same will happen to him. I have to protect my sons. Both of them.

We are kneeling again, and I whisper to Jasper. "We need to talk after this. Don't involve Edward, it will only make the situation worse. He's already defensive about Isa."

We take communion, we pray some more, the funeral mass is over. We all stand and move toward the caskets, preparing to walk out of the church and go to the cemetery. As we walk through the middle of the church, the doors open letting in the bright light from outside, and I see my wife standing in the open doorway. Her features blurred by the brightness behind her. As we pass, her eyes are on mine; full of tears, remorse and fear.

She knows what she's done. I turn away from her with no acknowledgement. I have to figure out a way to fix this before we are all killed.

_** *jasper**_

I keep taking deep breaths, but it isn't doing any fucking good. My body is full of adrenaline, anger, and sorrow. The emotions are battling against each other and I can't fucking...

I wish I had something to calm me down. But that would be a really bad fucking idea. My dad is so pissed off right now; he might shoot me in the middle of the mass.

I can feel him vibrating next to me. James sat next to me and told me what these assholes were saying as he was walking in. Isabella is the goomah, Isabella had something to do with Dem and Gia, Isabella planned this to get the kid, Isabella is turning Ed against the family…Fucking fantastic. It will be only a small stretch for them to start saying she's working for the Aros or she's a cop.

James is a jittery motherfucker; I punch him in the leg. Asshole probably had a quick hit of something outside.

"Sorry," he whispers.

There's a Fed at the end of our row. I smirk and give him a head nod. Asshole.

I can hear Edward and Isa behind me, Isa is sobbing. She sounds almost frantic and Ed has his hands full trying to comfort her. She has been struggling these past few days. The baby has been a constant reminder to her that Demetri and Gianna are gone. She feels guilty, and my mother has not been helping the situation.

My mother refuses to go near Isa, or the baby. But she won't fucking tell anyone why. But walking out of the pew when Isa arrived is going to have a lot of fucking backlash. People are questioning her loyalty, as well Edwards. My mother's actions have the potential to get us killed. First they'll go after my father, then me, Ed and Isa.

We need to act fast, handle this shit before it gets out of hand. And we have to keep Ed out of it. He will kill a fucker for talking shit about Isabella. Jesus, if something were to happen to her, Edward would flip the fuck out. I doubt anyone would survive. Most people have not seen Edward's scary side, and the few that have, aren't alive to talk about it.

When Father John asks us to kneel, I lean forward resting my forehead on my fists and whisper to my father quickly. Letting him know what James told me. He is already pissed, and he needs to know this shit before we walk out of the church. He has to be in control, he cannot appear weak; this is what I've learned from him. You wear a mask in front of the world, the real you is for family only; and not even family is always welcome to see you.

_** *esme**_

I'm sitting in the living room, staring out of the window. The city is so far below me that I cannot hear the noise, feel the movement, smell the city. But the constant shift on the street below is soothing my nerves.

I'm not sure what to do. My children and husband are angry with me. I shake my head at my own idiocy; angry is a big understatement. Angry I can handle, but I don't know if I can dig myself out of this storm I've created.

Edward, my youngest son, is not speaking to me. He was vibrating with anger by the time we got to the cemetery. Isabella stood next to him, stoic. A mask covering her face, tears still slipped over her cheeks but her eyes were like glass, emotionless.

My shoulders slump, and tears pool in my eyes. I wipe them away angrily.

Why am I so angry with her? It's irrational. She is a nice person, my son loves her, the whole family loves her. Jasper calls her sister; Carlisle and Santo both refer to her as their daughter. She is trusted as part of the _family. _

Carlisle considers her his _daughter._ This leads my train of thought in a dangerous direction, making my hands shake.

Images are flashing through my mind, I can feel my eyes moving as if they are in front of me.

Carlisle picking up a family token from the jeweler.

Santo including Isabella in meetings.

Edward handing Isabella a hand gun.

Isabella's anger with Carlisle when Edward was in danger.

Isabella securing rooms in our home.

Her closeness with Paul.

Her trips with Edward…

My God, what have I done?

_I walked out of the church when she arrived. In front of the entire family._

Tears are spilling over and my hands are shaking. What have I done?

I wrap my sweater tighter around my body, and then I hear the front door slam, making me flinch.

Footsteps are quickly moving through the house, he will know I am in here. It is where I come to think, to be alone.

The feet stop moving, and I can feel him standing behind me. I fist my sweater, and keep my eyes closed.

"Esme," he says. And he sounds tired, edgy.

My eyes open and he walks over to the chair opposite me, sitting casually.

I don't speak but my eyes are searching his, what do you want me to say?

"Our children are angry with you," he says. "Edward controlled himself very well, under the circumstances. And quite honestly, I don't understand what is wrong with you." Carlisle stands, his hands are opening and closing, fisting each time. My vision is blurry, but I can see him pacing; trying to calm himself.

"The funeral," he laughs, stopping to stand behind the chair he was just sitting in. "People are asking why you walked away when Isabella sat next to you. People are wondering if Isabella had something to do with Gianna and Demetri's deaths. DO YOU KNOW HOW STUPID THIS MAKES ME LOOK?" he yells. "Just the idea that my future daughter-in-law might be taking out members of my family…" he trails off, taking a shaky breath and rolling his neck. His fingers are gripping that back of the chair so tightly, I'm sure the leather will tear. "Do you have any idea what this could do to us, _to me? TO OUR SONS? _"

Tears are streaming down my face, I can feel them dripping onto my hand. But I cannot bring myself to wipe them away.

Carlisle's voice is icy. "People have been questioning her motives since Edward's engagement was announced. Do you think she has a guard with her at all times just for the hell of it?

"You just put a huge fucking target on her back," he yells. "I have to make sure everyone, _everyone,_" he says, tightly, "in this family trusts me. I have to have eyes everywhere all of the fucking time! And now I have to worry that someone in my family will go after our children."

His blue eyes are icy, glaring into mine. His breathing is rough and I can almost see his body vibrating with the anger he is hiding from me. "I don't know what is going on with you, but figure it out. I will not accept any more shit like this. If you cannot control yourself, stay home. I don't have the fucking ability to deal with this. My arms cannot extend out to all of you at the same time. Fix this. I don't care how you fucking do it, but fix it. We cannot afford to look weak in front of anyone, especially our own goddamned family," he finished, his voice was quiet but the threat was there.

He looked at me for a few more moments, before walking out of the room. The sobs that I have been holding in finally break free. My throat is throbbing with the ache of it.

_** *santo**_

I see Carlisle walk out of the room; his head looks like it will explode. I don't think I have ever seen him this furious.

His fury is born of fear. I know this because I have lived it, when this family was my responsibility and my sons and wife were the ones in danger. I was in his shoes, and I remember feeling helpless. Wondering when someone was going to step into my office and end my life, or if my wife's car would explode on her way to the market.

I wanted to go to him, help him, but that would be a bad idea. My son doesn't normally act this way, and he needs some time to come down from this anger.

He needs to ground himself so he can come up with a plan. A plan that will clear Isabella's name, and spare his family. Because in the end, that's what this is all about. _Famiglia._

Our core unit is the most important, everyone else is expendable.

_** *francesca**_

I sit quietly in my grandson's living room, holding Matteo. He is such a beautiful baby, so sweet.

He and Jasper are talking quietly in the corner of the room. Edward's face is red with anger; I'm surprised he has not gone to speak with his parents. I'm positive that it would have terrible consequences, but Edward does not think logically when it comes to Isabella. She is his world, and his weakness.

Isabella on the other hand, is shutting down; isolating herself. It is terrible to see such a beautiful person shutting down. She is returning to that persona she had months ago, cold and unapproachable.

I have been sitting here out of the way for an hour or so watching everyone.

Isabella is cooking, Jasper looks wired – he must have taken something after the funeral. Edward is raging inside, but he is fairly composed on the outside. Enzo quietly guards the front door and James is standing out on the balcony.

This is not good. Our family is separated; even Santo and I are not on the same page. He is standing by his son, offering him the support and love only a father can give. I understand this, and I love my husband even more for it. But Esme is wrong, and I cannot stand to be in the same room as her.

I was Esme, years and years ago. An angry mother that felt like I was losing control of my family; Harassing my daughter in law, belittling her, making her feel unworthy. I feel embarrassed at my behavior now that I can see what it looked like to an outsider.

But Isabella has not threatened Esme. Isabella has not overstepped, and is happy in her place as Edward's fiancé. She is entitled to more, should she want that, but I don't think she does.

She adores Edward, it is the only reason everyone has accepted her so easily. It is apparent every time she looks at him, and speaks to him, and touches him. In a room full of people, you will find them sitting together talking quietly, sharing secrets and gentle kisses. Their love is true, and epic, and can withstand this storm.

I sigh, looking at the baby in my arms. We cannot have our family on opposite sides of the war. For now, I will support my grandson and his future wife.

Isabella's isolation might be what my son needs to fix the mess his wife has created.

****************unexpected********************************

a/n: Happy New Year! Hope you enjoyed this.

Many thanks to all of you, thank you for the reviews and adding me to your favorites. :)


	45. Not so Unexpected - Teaser

_**Disclaimer: I don't own them. SunflowerFran3759 is a lovely person and added many commas to this...**_

_**Edward:**_

I'm moving quickly; trying to get out of the diamond district before rush hour hits. I need to get home to my wife.

_Jesus._

My phone buzzes again.

_Glossy pink lips with just a hint of tongue._

Fuck.

My cock is already fucking hard and this woman keeps sending these damn pictures.

At the stoplight, I scroll through the pictures she's sent today.

_High heeled, open toe shoes with a single strap at the ankle - her fingers clasping the buckle._

_Her breasts pushed up by a sexy black vest under her suit jacket._

_Her fingers gripping a perfume bottle._

_And finally, glossy pink lips with tongue._

I adjust myself again and hit the gas when the light changes.

O_o_O

She's facing the mirror now. I step behind her, and unbutton her suit jacket and then push the cups of the corset down exposing her beautiful tits.

I trail my hands down her stomach, to her thighs and use my fingers to lift her skirt; I run my hands around her hip and cup her ass, squeezing roughly.

"You've been teasing me all fucking day."

I run a finger along the inside of her thigh, but don't touch her where she needs me to.

"I don't like being teased, Isabella."

Her lids are half closed, and her bottom lip is between her teeth.

"Spread your legs."

Her heels make her the perfect height.

My finger runs along her ass, and I tease her to make sure she's wet for me.

I unbuckle my belt, unbutton and unzip my pants and then lean into her, making sure she can feel all of me against her.

"I'm going to fuck you, hard." I take her earlobe in my mouth. "You better hold on, baby."

* * *

><p>an: Hello! As I'm sure you've guessed, this is a teaser for the Unexpected sequel. SunflowerFran3759 is once again adding her lovely touch to make this pretty.

Posting will start on March 1st. If this story is removed, you can find me on FictionPad. Please visit my tumblr page for teaser pics.


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